Outa flooded with complaints from motorists over licence renewals

The Organisation Undoing Tax Abuse (Outa) says it has been flooded with complaints after motorists claimed their efforts to renew their licences were blocked because of traffic fines they had no knowledge of.

Outa’s chief legal officer, advocate Stefanie Fick said the organisation believed in some instances the Road Traffic Infringement Agency (RTIA) did not issue enforcement orders against the motorists.

While motorists with unpaid fines were not allowed to renew their vehicle or driver’s licences, Ficks said the reasons for the outstanding enforcement orders were not completely clear.

“In many of the cases, motorists were unaware of any outstanding infringement notices or unpaid fines,” she told East Coast Radio on Monday.

She further said the Administrative Adjunction of Road Traffic Offences (Aarto) could not cope with the administrative processes of enforcement orders at this stage.

“Outa asks how will they be able to cope with the amendment act to be rolled out nationwide, by July 2021 when the demerit system will add even more problems to the mix,” she said.

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This also comes in light of the government’s announcement that motorists who missed the deadline of 22 September to renew their vehicle licences would have to pay a penalty charge of 10% a month on the annual licence fee.

Motorists also run the risk of having to pay a fine of up to R1 000 should they be caught driving an unlicensed vehicle, while many others complain of a lack of access to licensing centres due to the continued effects of the pandemic.

Meanwhile, Outa last month also called on Transport Minister Fikile Mbalula to consider changing the driver’s licence renewal process from 5 to 10 years.

The organisation said changing the renewal process would save both consumers and the government time and money.

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