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Driving licence card chaos by Myles Illidge
South African motorists are still in the dark about new driving licence cards and the procurement of a new printing machine, and the Organisation Undoing Tax Abuse (Outa) is demanding answers from the powers that be.
The Department of Transport (DoT) and Driving Licence Card Account (DLCA) missed the most recent deadline for launching a new driving licence card: 30 April 2024.
Outa also slammed the decision not to extend South Africa’s driving licence validity period, which it says will save the public money and reduce the administrative burden on the DLCA.
During a media briefing on 10 April 2024, minister Sindisiwe Chikunga said her department was at the “tail-end” of procuring the machine to print the new cards.
“The team that is busy with that had to travel to France to see the machine for themselves,” she said.
“Before the end of April, we will be printing new driving licence cards and will launch at least the first 100 per province, as we have said. We are moving in that regard.”
However, the department then announced five shortlisted bidders in June, saying it had not yet adjudicated the tender. Once again, it assured that it was in the final stages of finalising the tender.
After several weeks of further silence, Outa has demanded answers.
“We are concerned that the secrecy is hiding problematic activities,” said Outa executive director, Advocate Stefanie Fick.
“Outa has for the past few years tried to engage meaningfully with these transport entities on various issues, but to no avail.”
The new driving licence card printing machine is required to launch new driving licence cards, which promise advanced security features, among other things.
“Outa believes the entire tender process is shrouded in uncertainty and lack of transparency,” said Fick.
“The procurement of this machine is of utmost importance to South Africa, and we believe that the department and the DLCA should be much more transparent about this process.”
Outa is demanding answers to the following questions surrounding South Africa’s driving licence cards:
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Why has the procurement of the new driving licence card machine been delayed for more than a year?
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Why has the department decided not to extend the validity of driving licences despite the cumbersome system?
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Does the card machine procurement plan rely on retaining the five-year validity period for the cards?
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Why won’t the department explain how it calculates the fees it charges for licences and how these funds are distributed?
The issue of South Africa’s ageing driving licence printing machine was first highlighted towards the end of 2021 when it broke down.
It was only restored in January 2022, resulting in a backlog of around 639,000 cards. It is the only driving licence card printing machine in the country.
It has faced subsequent breakdowns and still appears to be struggling with the demand.
Outa also reiterated its stance on the five-year validity period for South Africa’s driving licence cards and described the DLCA’s explanation for failing to extend it as “ludicrous”.
In 2022, former transport minister Fikile Mbalula said he had commissioned the Road Traffic Management Corporation (RTMC) to research a possible extension and, later that year, said the period would be extended to eight years.
However, no such change came, and in June 2024, it was revealed that the validity period would remain five years.
RTMC CEO Makhosini Msibi said many accidents on South African roads relate to infectious and other diseases, making regular eye tests crucial.
“Outa questions the motives of the RTMC as the ultimate decision to extend the validity period lies with the Minister of Transport and the Minister should not be influenced by an entity with vested financial interests in the decision,” says Fick.
“In simple terms, we find these reasons advanced by the RTMC to be ludicrous.”
Outa firmly believes the validity period should be extended to 10 years.
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