The Lady Hooligan’s Page

In the movie The Twelve Tasks of Asterix one of the heroes’ tasks is to find a particular form in “The Place that Drives Men Mad”. On closer inspection, that place looks very much like any civil service office… and it is said that it still exists today!

Somewhere else I read that if one wants to be exposed to the latest and greatest in technology and service, one should NOT go to any burocracy, be it a large corporation or a government office, as their mere size makes them cumbersome and outdated.

And if you add affirmative action into this mix, you’ll get a murder waiting to be committed!

I had a Monday today. A real one, not just the calendar day!

I got a note on my mobile phone early this morning to go to the main library. Having arrived there, I was informed that forms that I took great pains in obtaining were missing! And I know that not only did I return them to the main library, but I made all the necessary copies of the supporting documents as well! In hindsight, I think I should have copied the forms, too… The woman who was supposed to do the job, clearly was very upset that I could accuse her of not doing it! And she couldn’t find other documents that I urgently needed. (Fortunately, I had them e-mailed to my personal address, so I could make copies!)

And the third thing is that I couldn’t access information that I needed for my school children on the Internet, because some brilliant idiot somewhere decided that only certain levels may have internet access! That’s all very well, but considering that my library does not even have a computer, let alone internet access, and it serves a really poor community, I think that is the most shortsighted act so far this year! I can’t believe that I am expected to render a service of any nature to the public without as much support as I can possibly gather! So much for Batho Pele, or any other customer service principle. If you cut me off at the knees, I can’t do my work. Period.

And I refuse to use any of my own resources for work purposes without compensation!

Anyway, now all this is a matter of public record. I hope the people I work for read this and decide to do something about it! But I hope in vain…

I have the privilege of moving on within the next few weeks.  It is hard work getting everything set up, but I reckon it’ll be more than worth it in the end.

There is a new administrative assistant in my place already.  To be fair, she got the appointment months ago as a temporary replacement, but the boss asked that I stayed on.  Then one day she marched into his office and demanded that job, with the result that I gave over.  I didn’t complain too much - as I still had this current move to look forward to, and the knowledge that I wouldn’t be at this branch of the library for too long.

However, as time goes by, it is obvious that the admin person is totally not up to scratch.  She isn’t even computer literate!  So a lot falls back on to my shoulders again, with one major difference - I don’t do it!  No, Sirree, if she wanted that job so badly, she can damn well make sure she’s competent enough to do it!  And to be honest, I actually love sending people to her regarding matters that are part of her job description and watching her cringe.

I guess it’s the New South African way…. Appoint someone who is totally incompetent, let the competent ones do the work and see how the incompetent ones get the credit.  If that’s the case here, then I’m definitely not going to let her run over me.

However, let me end up with a more hopeful story, told to me by the father of the man in question…

The son - let’s call him Mark - worked as an assistant to one of the directors of a large company.  The director was appointed according to a policy of Affirmative Action and had no idea what he was supposed to be doing, with the result that Mark compiled all his reports and results and the director ended up taking the credit.  This went on for years, with everyone knowing it, but no-one doing anything about it!

Then a new CEO was appointed to see if the bottom line of the company could be improved.  At the very first directors’ meeting, he asked Mark’s boss a question.  The director turned to Mark, but before Mark could give him the answer the CEO cut in.  He asked why the director didn’t have this information himself, as it was definitely within the scope of his responsibilities.  By the end of the meeting, the director was fired, and Mark appointed in his place.

Mark later left the company to join a separate business venture, but I’m certain that he’ll always remember the lesson of that day.