City plans R25m spend to improve customer offices

14 April 2023

The City’s Building Hope Budget for 2023/24 proposes an investment of more than R25 million over the next three years for vehicle licensing and customer walk-in centres improvement initiatives. These initiatives aim to improve the customer experience at the City’s offices by upgrading and modernising the offices and equipment used to assist customers. 

'The City is constantly looking for new ways to enhance and streamline its service offering to residents across the metro. This includes improving the customer experience at our offices by replacing computers for faster customer turnaround times, as well as furniture that is outdated or in poor condition to enhance the comfort of customers.

'The allocation will also go towards enhancing and expanding the customer online booking system to eventually cover all motor vehicle and customer care offices across the metro.

'In September 2022, the City launched its new online booking system for motor vehicle licence renewals, as well as for account payments and queries. The new system, which allows customers to get ahead of the queue by making a booking ahead of time, is currently available at 13 City customer offices across the metro, where Queue Management Systems (QMS) are installed. We will be expanding this service to other offices as well during the course of the year. We urge residents to use the online system and avoid long queues,' said the City's Mayoral Committee Member for Finance, Councillor Siseko Mbandezi.

Although residents are encouraged to rather make use of the online options that are available, we understand that some residents still prefer to visit an office and deal with a staff member face-to-face. The planned improvements to our walk-in offices will enhance the customer experience.

'We thank our residents for engaging with us, either online or in person, and for continuing to pay their accounts. Our consistently high payment ratio is testament to the trust our residents place in us, and I would like to thank residents for paying their municipal accounts and for making it possible for the City to continue to deliver excellent services. These customer office initiatives are an example of our commitment to enhancing our service offering, and we look forward to seeing these improvements to our facilities in the coming months and years,' said Councillor Mbandezi.

Follow five easy steps and make your booking:

• Visit the City's website: https://www.capetown.gov.za/City-Connect/Book/walk-in-centre-bookings/how-to-make-a-walk-in-centre-booking or https://bookings.capetown.gov.za
• Select your Customer Office
  
• Select a date and time for your booking
• Enter your contact details
• Customers will receive a SMS and email confirmation with their appointment reference, which will be required and checked on the day of the appointment
  
   
  
  Checking in: Once the resident arrives at the Walk-in Centre where the booking has been made, the booking reference number must be inserted on the touch screen terminal to receive their Queue Management System (QMS) ticket. The next available City consultant will then call the QMS number.
  
   
  
  It is important to note that bookings will only be valid from 15 minutes before and 15 minutes after the appointment time. Bookings are automatically cancelled when the customer misses the 15-minute window.
  
   
  
   
  
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Published by:
City of Cape Town, Media Office