I got a mail back from SAMSA in Cpt saying I should contact our local office at Saldanha and they will help me for a fee of R370.00. I got in contact with them and they mailed me an application form, told me to get photo's and a doctors fitness certificate. On the form it says "any doctor", so off I go last week for a medical, doc asks if there is any special form, answer not that I know of as I'm sure they would of attached it to the mail. Get photos this morning and shoot through to their offices. This is where things started going wrong. The girly I spoke to is now not so sure of what must take place and my doctors cert is of no use as it must be a SAMSA approved doctor!!! Now trying to stay calm I asked where on the form does it say SAMSA approved doctor for 15nm, it definitely states any doctor. At this stage another lady joins the party telling me in no meaner terms these are the conditions etc etc, This is where I start getting annoyed and raise my voice an bit. Then A guy comes through the reception area and wants to know what all the commotion is about any invites me into his office. He turns out to be a Captain and one of the "main manne" in the Saldanha office. I explain the issue to him, he takes my Skipper Licence I have, checks what a A.1.(3) Category is, signs and stamps the rear of the licence with his contact details and tells me there is NO need of renewing this licence as it is valid and if anyone say different they should phone him and he will put them in their place!!!
He reckons it's a money making racket and that I should ignore the rumours flying around, so nou weet ek nie............
