Avoid long queues by booking online for municipal services this festive season

To avoid long queues when renewing your car licence or paying municipal accounts this festive season, the City is urging residents to make use of its online booking system to save time.

“We are reminding residents to keep the busy holiday season top of mind when visiting a City customer office during the next few weeks. Our Walk-in Centres and customer offices typically experience longer queues during this time of the year, which could lead to longer waiting times for residents. One way to avoid the queue and to save time is by making an online booking at a Walk-in Centre of your choice. Since the launch of our booking system, which operates at a number of our facilities across the city, thousands of residents have taken full advantage of the system,” the City’s mayoral committee member for Finance, Siseko Mbandezi said.

He added that the use of e-services options was also recommended for residents who preferred to do the business from the comfort of their homes.

“A number of services are available here, such as viewing your municipal accounts, renewing your motor vehicle licence, entering your water meter reading and applying for rates rebates, among other service offerings. Residents can register for the City’s e-Services on our website and activate the services that they need.

“Residents who prefer coming into an office for their business must remember that we allow senior, pregnant and disabled customers to move to the front of the queue where they will be assisted as quickly as possible,’ said Mbandezi.

Residents may access the online booking system at https://bookings.capetown.gov.za to book an appointment.

Follow five steps and make your booking:

· Visit the City’s website: https://bookings.capetown.gov.za

· Select your Customer Office

· Select a service (e.g. account queries/payment, vehicle licensing/registration)

· Select a date and time for your booking

· Enter your contact details

Customers will receive an SMS and email confirmation with their appointment reference, which will be required and checked on the day of the appointment.

See this short YouTube video: https://bit.ly/3WH8j5o

Checking in: Once the customer arrives at the Walk-in Centre where the booking has been made, the booking reference number must be inserted on the touch screen terminal and a Queue Management System (QMS) ticket will be issued. The next available City consultant will then call the QMS number.

The City noted 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.