13 May 2021

The outbreak of COVID-19 has reportedly negatively affected the standard of service delivery around the country.

Some people say the new normal of strict regulations has worsened service delivery.

A vox pop has revealed that people who receive services in Serowe are generally unhappy with the pace at which they are served at different points of service since the outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic. 

One of the people who expressed dissatisfaction with the help he gets from service providers is Mr Jerry Seemo. 

Mr Seemo said he was worried about poor communication by employees of different organizations that they visit for services, adding that customers are never informed about why there are delays. 

The other complaint was that of lack of patience and the language used to address customers. 

Ms Monei Keorapetse, an elder in Serowe, said some even seem to not be interested in helping, while some leave clients unattended without any explanations.

 Ms Keneilwe Gamogang said they are made to stand in queues for hours leading to fatigue, which is not good for their health.  

Some say the slow pace  of service in organisations like banks, clinics, post-offices and shops, may lead to the spread of the coronavirus as they have to queue in long lines for more than the recommended two hours.

However, some acknowledged that there are organisations that prioritise their clients’ health by trying to dispense services as quickly as possible. 

Mr Elvis Gasenna advised organisations to employ people to match the workload, which would in turn lead to quicker and safer service, while Mr Steady Moladira believes employees should be trained on good customer service, because good service means more clients and good returns for the business.

Ms Moakofi, an assistant manager at Boiteko Serowe Spar, told BOPA in an interview that even though they now work on shifts, they try by all means to provide more staff on busy days to match the number of customers. She explained that their busiest times are the last two weeks of every month.

Meanwhile, Ms Thabo Kebodiwang, who is a nurse at Serowe Main Clinic, stated that the main reason for slow services was shortage of human capital at the clinic. 

She explained that there was only one doctor, responsible for patients from the whole of Serowe region which includes Paje, Mogorosi, Thabala, while some even come from as far as Mmashoro and Dimajwe. 

Ms Kebodiwang said the same doctor rotates around other clinics in Serowe, to try and curb overcrowding. 

For his part, Serowe Police Station Commander, Superintendent Poloko Oteng blamed the slow service provision on people who move in perks. 

He stated that sometimes four people come as an escort to a friend who would be seeking service, which he said created unnecessary queues that could have been avoided had only one person come to the office for help. 

He expressed concern that some people go to the police stations for services they could access from other offices, citing certifying of Omang, which he said could be done elsewhere. Ends