Mbalula’s licence crisis Band-Aid not enough, experts warn

Despite the validity of expired driver’s licences being extended to March next year, experts are not convinced that Transport Minister Fikile Mbalula will indeed remedy the crisis in time.

Mbalula yesterday again extended the grace period for driving licence renewal, which was to come to an end on Tuesday.

Instead, all driver’s and learner’s licences, temporary driver’s licences and professional driving permits which have expired between 26 March 2020 and 31 August 2021 will remain valid until 31 March 2022.

This is to deal with the 1.2 million unrenewed licences out of 2.8 million expired licences, with the backlog caused by challenges of capacity, corrupt officials who block online booking slots for bribes and faulty live capture and eye testing equipment.

Gauteng accounted for the largest number of unrenewed licences. Interventions in the province would include two new testing centres, in Centurion and Waterfall, in October and two buses as mobile centres.

Mbalula also vowed to vigorously act on corrupt officials.

The Automobile Association (AA) has welcomed the required extension period, but spokesperson Layton Beard said they were concerned that proposed intervention measures would not be implemented in time.

Among these is the establishment of more driving licence testing centres (DLTCs), mobile centres and kiosks at busy centres, extended operating hours of the DLTCs, DLTCs accepting online payment, and the submission of eye tests by optometrists directly to the National Traffic Information System (Natis).

The extension could, however, lead to a snowball effect as it did not apply to licences expiring from next month, Organisation Undoing Tax Abuse (Outa) CEO Wayne Duvenage warned. He suggested Mbalula adopt a 10-year licence validity period like other countries.

“Those folks who can’t get their licences renewed next month are going to be caught up in the same washing machine. Other countries are doing okay by moving from a five-year validity period to 10 years. There is no need to renew your licence every five years,” said Duvenage.

Anton Ossip, CEO of Discovery Insure, said given the backlog in driver’s licence renewals, motor insurance cover for Discovery Insure clients would not be compromised.

Gerald Habig, from Pass and Go Driving School in Pretoria, complained that online bookings were not extensive enough at any given time.

– news@citizen.co.za