On Tuesday the 9th of September I went for my test. It was scheduled for 14 hours. Me and Collins, one of the driver's at the hospital, got there early. At 1400 hours the gentleman who gives the test came. He was on time. There was 8 people testing. All in small cars except for me. I had a big, flatbed truck-- rated for about 8,000 pounds.
The others all went first; some did better than others. The driving test consists of going through cones that are set up in a T shape. Each person has to go forward than turn to the right then back up from where they came. After that they do the same to the left. The object is not to hit any cones. This day out of the ones testing 2 passed, me and another man. The thing is the cones were so close together it was a bigger challenge then what it sounds like. Being I had a bigger truck the gentleman giving the test adjusted the cones. But when he did that he made them plenty wide so I had no trouble doing the backing. In fact, a Zambian man told me after that he must like me because they were way to wide and that Mukuwa's never fail. I don't think that was meant for a compliment. Anyway I had to get my paperwork signed along with the other one that passed. The man who did the test told me that if I follow him down to the other office I could get everything processed and paid for and get my papers that said I can drive. So me and Collins waited; by this time it was getting late probably 16 or 16:30 hours. He was finally ready to go and we followed. When we arrived at the other office, he got out of the other car and immediately told me that it was to late I would have to come back.
So this last Thursday I got another opportunity to go to Livingstone and get everything taken care of. I came to the office where he told me to come back thinking I was at the right spot. I stood in live for 30 minutes until he walked by and saw and told me I was at the wrong office the paperwork I needed was across town. "Get it and come back." So I called the driver and asked if he could come get me and take me to get my papers. Upon arrival at the office across town. I promptly stood in line for another 30 minutes till I could see a man to help me. He gave me the paper and we were off to the other office again. I was back where I started and stood in line again. I got to the front of the line and saw the man again and he asked me where my provisional license was? No one ever mentioned that to me. I had brought it, but it was still in the truck with the driver somewhere in Livingstone. So I told him I did not have it with me. He said I needed it in order to get the paper that told me I could drive legally. The provisional license needed to be filed; I could not keep it. I begged him to please to just do what needed to be done in order to get the license paper, and I would bring the provisional license paper back as soon as I could. He finally agreed and put it in the system. I went to the cashier; paid a fee and told him I would be back with the other paper I forgot. He agreed and I got the paper that says I have a license. After that the first thing I did was to walk and find the truck and get the provisional license I forgot and then returned it to the man. He was happy and so was I. Now in about a month I will go back one more time to the RTSA office and pick up the plastic card driver's license and my driver's license saga will be over.
The truck I took my test in -
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