Pensioner with ‘invisible fingerprints’ refused a driving permit

A pensioner from the East Rand has given up on renewing his professional driver’s permit (PDP) after running in circles to get clearance, because he doesn’t have detectable fingerprints.

When Fanie Venter went to renew his PDP two years ago at the Edenvale Licensing Centre (ELC), the optical scanner also didn’t detect his fingerprints.

“I went for the mandatory medical and eye tests. They then sent me to the police for fingerprinting, which took police almost two months to complete. I managed to renew my PDP with that clearance document endorsed with a no print,” he explained.

Venter has struggled to get his PDP renewed after it expired last September.

“In July I went to the licensing centre to get the documents from reception to reapply, when I told the lady there I had problems with my fingerprints the last time, should I first go to the police for that. She said no, they would sort it out there,” he said.

When Venter returned to submit the documents and his fingerprints were again undetected, he was referred to the police with a note to get a clearance certificate.

“The next day at the police station they refused to print the certificate. The officer said the testing centre had to do it, so I went back there and told them what the police told me.

“They refused and said the police must do it, so I went back to the police and again the request was refused,” he said.

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The Road Traffic Management Corporation was not able to comment yesterday and its response will be published when it is received. Venter has since been unable to obtain the “right” paperwork to complete his PDP renewal. When Venter later received an SMS from the police to collect his clearance certificate, hope flared that he would be able to renew his licence.

“With that document in hand, I went back to the ELC and it was still not accepted. They said it was not the correct one. I needed to go back to the police to tell them that,” he said.

He said the clerk refused to give him the document needed. Venter said he was told by the police the clearance certificate was valid for any purpose, including the licence renewal. After that Venter, also met the centre manager and returned to retry his fingerprints at the centre. Again Venter’s fingerprints were undetected and he was referred to the police.

“As I have said, the police would not give me any other clearance certificate. I will not go there again because it would just be a waste of time and effort. I have had enough,” Venter said.

– marizkac@citizen.co.za