The sinister side of �system e down�

Beads of sweat glistening across their foreheads, the roomful of expectant customers has waited patiently to be assisted by the government officer. Each second the clock ticks over and every step the queue inches forward, heighten the unspoken fear the customers telepathically share.

“Bagolo, go tlaare le eme pele, system e down.” No other words are more dread-inducing, fury-inspiring and common in public-facing government offices. In most instances, the civil servants in direct contact with the enraged customers appear equally stumped by the reasons behind the system failure.