Ladies and Gentlemen - I need your sympathy and compassion

Ou Maaik, you're making the most fundamental mistake you can make when it comes to South African bureacracy. You don't go as early as possible, you go as late as possible. 
If the Department of Home Affairs closes at 4pm then get there at 3.30pm or the latest that they still allow people in. You will be amazed how much more efficient and helpful these public servants can be as it gets closer to their knock-off time. 
It's the same with SARS, the licensing departments and any of these goverment departments . . . get there as close as you can to closing time. Instead of being stuffed around for 3 hours if you go in the morning, you'll be done and dusted in 20 minutes. 
Try my way . . . you'll thank me!

Rooinek 
Not the buggers in Stanger - where I have to go.  They close shop at 14:00 and whether you are in the hall or not - they do not attend to you.
The other problem is the constant load-shedding in the afternoon.   If Stanger is load-shedding at 14:00 the buggers go home then.   Otherwise they have the excuse that they must do "administration"
I thought the afternoon trick might work - but their laziness is pronounced and prevents it from being an alternative.