Driver licence deadline extension will keep Gauteng motorists legal

17 August 2021

Gauteng motorists face the very real possibility of becoming illegal drivers and have their vehicle insurance lapse if they cannot renew their driver’s licences by the end of August 2021. The validity of these licences that expired between 26 March and 31 December 2020 were extended until 31 August 2021 to assist those motorists to renew their licences when they could not do so during the lockdowns of 2020.

However, due to an ineffective online booking system, broken eye testing and finger printing machines, reduced capacity in Driver Licence Testing Centres (DLTC) due to Covid-19 restrictions, and corruption, motorists cannot secure bookings in time to renew their driver licences before the 31 August deadline.

The DA expects nothing less than from the Minister for Roads and Transport, Fikile Mbalula, to extend the validity period of these extended licences immediately to the end of February 2022. Minister Mbalula can no longer avoid the issue and his immediate intervention is obligatory.  It is unconscionable to not accommodate these motorists who find themselves in a very legally vulnerable situation, that was not even of their own doing.

An extension will allow more time for motorists to obtain license renewal slots, especially in light of the Road Traffic Management Corporation's (RTMC) acknowledgement that there is a backlog of 500 000 licences. This extension is indispensable as the current backlog cannot be eradicated in the next two weeks.

We furthermore repeat our call to scrap the online booking system in the meantime to combat corruption and allow for motorists to use DLTCs as walk-in centres so that more motorists can be assisted.

Despite various promises by the Gauteng MEC for Roads and Transport, Jacob Mamabolo, no improvements have been forthcoming to increase the capacity at DLTCs or making online booking slots available to motorists.

In December 2020, the DA made practical proposals to the Minister, MEC and RTMC. Some of which the MEC indicated he will implement but has so far failed to do so.

These proposals include the following:

Allow special after-hours and weekend services for PrDP applicants.

Allow Gauteng drivers to renew their driver’s licences anywhere in the country.

Immediately allow Gauteng motorists to renew licences at the following surrounding towns: Emalahleni, Delmas, Leandra, Evander, Secunda, Balfour, Sasolburg, Parys, Ventersdorp, Hartbeespoort, Brits, Bela-Bela, Rustenburg, Potchefstroom and Standerton.

Provide for online applications where drivers can pay their application fees and fill out all forms electronically before visiting a DLTC.

Allow for applicants submitting eye tests for the tests to be evaluated in their absence (e.g. after-hours) and that they must only be called for another visit (eye test) if the eye test submitted is unsatisfactory.

Increase the number of eye testers at DTLCs to provide faster service and to accommodate more slots daily.

Reduce the response time to repair eye testing machines.

Allow reputable chains and practices (such as optometrists, banks, supermarkets, etc.) to provide the renewal of driver’s licences on an agency basis.

Conduct an audit into whether all available slots are being communicated to the RTMC by licence testing centres and whether all slots provided to the RTMC are indeed logged onto the eNatis system.

Allow for the booking system to prioritise licences that are overdue for renewal.

Extend the term for driver’s licence renewals to a longer-term (e.g.7 or 10 years).

The DA will keep pushing for the implementation of these solutions until the capacity of DLTCs in Gauteng can match the demand for licence testing and renewal.

The main priority now should be to assist as many motorists as possible to renew their licences to ensure they can operate their licences legally and retain their jobs where they are dependent on their licences to operate a vehicle as part of their employment.

Issued by Fred Nel, DA Gauteng Shadow MEC for Roads and Transport, 17 August 2021