I AM very worried about the attitude towards us when we visit government offices for assistance.

You are treated like a stranger in the office where you pay your monthly rent through tax. I feel it is high time the Batho Pele principle was monitored and evaluated by management, otherwise they are just paying lip service to the public.

I once visited a government department for application forms and was given the shock of my life.

I spoke in English, hoping that it would accommodate everyone at the reception desk. The person ignored me until I spoke in her mother tongue, which I had overheard while she was on the phone.

Little did I know she wanted me to ask for the application forms in her mother tongue.

This chaos must be dealt with before it makes our public institutions hostile places. Strict monitoring and evaluation of service principles is required to enforce adherence.

Officials who are not prepared to serve our citizens must resign. You will never come across such behaviour in the private sector. They appreciate every person as a prospective client.

I wonder if public servants know their pay comes from the very people they refuse to serve civilly. We deserve better than the shoddy service that is being offered.

I know they can do better if they would only change their attitude.

Keep it up, those who heed my call to duty.

Mashao Mohale, Sekhimine