DA calls for scrapping of license booking system to make more renewal slots available to motorists
11 August 2021
The Democratic Alliance (DA) in Gauteng is concerned that motorists will not be able to renew their licenses before they expire, turning them into criminals which could potentially affect their vehicle insurance cover.
Motorists in our province are anxious that their licenses will expire by the end of August and that they will be driving illegally because they cannot get online booking slots to renew their licences. Many motorists require valid licenses to retain their jobs. Should they be unable to renew their licenses, they may find themselves in the unemployment line.
I am therefore calling on the MEC for Roads and Transport, Jacob Mamabolo, to provisionally scrap the online booking system and allow for all motorists who face expiring licenses to utilise driver license testing centres on a walk-in basis.
The DA believes that the problem of a lack of license renewal slots lies with the online booking system and that more motorists can be assisted daily if walk-ins are allowed at driver license testing centres. We believe that not all slots are made available on the online booking system severely limiting the capacity of licensing centres to assist the optimal number of motorists on a daily basis.
Scrapping the booking system will free up slots booked by no-shows as well as slots that corrupt officials sell to motorists.
Once the capacity of licensing centres has been expanded and once a quality assured online booking system is guaranteed, only then can the online booking system be reintroduced. The current system is simply just not working and must be scrapped until a proper system can be designed.
The main priority now should be to assist as many motorists as possible to renew their licenses to ensure they can operate their licenses legally and retain their jobs where they are dependent on their licenses to operate a vehicle as part of their employment. The DA will continue to fight to ensure that law-abiding citizens aren’t turned into criminals by an inefficient government system”
Issued by Fred Nel, DA Gauteng Shadow MEC for Roads and Transport, 11 August 2021
