December 4

Three weeks after we put in the application, Ellie's external birth certificate has not arrived for collection. John tries phoning the lady in charge and receives the following responses:

The man in Lupane is not answering his phone.
The man in Lupane has had to go to Harare in an emergency.
I am in a fuel queue.  Please try again in two hours' time.
I am at the hospital. A relative has just died.

After a week of constant electricity, we are hit with 18 hour power cuts.  Could ZESA not reach a compromise and give us shorter cuts?  Does it have to be all or nothing?

The deadline for completing my online work is fast approaching.