Background
Lauren Medcalf, a mountain guide, experienced red tape when she wanted to extend her tour guide license from the Department of Tourism. According to the Department she couldn’t extend the licence because wording on her visa did not comply with those required for a tour guide. She was utterly confused because the Department of Home Affairs said that she did not require the specific wording to be eligible to receive an extension.
Challenge experienced
She filed the relevant paperwork in February 2014. After five months, she had still not heard anything from the applicable departments. She contacted the Red Tape Reduction Unit regarding these issues in July.
Intervention by Red Tape Reduction
Lauren, who is self-employed, had not worked for a month as her guide license had expired on 31 June 2014. The unit assisted Lauren with her problem by making contact with the relevant departments. After a few weeks, the unit successfully resolved the issues and closed her case.
Outcome
“Sometimes that’s just what we need in the government - more empathy and listening to people’s individual stories,” Lauren says. Her business, Mother City hikers, employs more than ten freelancers per month to help in various areas of her business.
