Transport minister Sindisiwe Chikunga confirmed that printing of new driving licence cards is expected to start before the end of April.
Speaking at a media briefing about the scrapping of e-tolling in Gauteng on April 10, Chikunga said her department was at the ‘tail-end’ of procuring a new printing machine for the cards.
Chikunga revealed in January that the DoT had not awarded a tender for the new printer and that it planned to finalise the process before April.
“This is because the team had to travel to France to see the machine for themselves,” the minister said.
“Before the end of this month, we will be printing new driving licence (cards) and will launch at least the first 100 per province.”
What you need to know about the new driving licence cards:
• With the new printer, the Driving Licence Card Account (DLCA) should be able to produce a card within five working days. This is nine days faster than the current printer.
• The new card will be valid for eight years, instead of the current five.
• Current cards will continue to be recognised as valid until March 31, 2029.
• They will introduce a new system with driving licence cards linked to smart-card technology.
• The new driving licence card in South Africa will have improved security features, including biometric data, holograms, and watermarks, to reduce fraudulent licences and improve road safety.
• The new card will also make the SA driving licence compatible with the International Information Technology Personal Identification Compliant Driving Licence (ISO18013).
• The front of the card will display the driver’s name, gender, date of birth, ID number, and information about the licence, such as issuance date, code, license number, and validity period – much like the old one.A photo of licence holders will be shown on the front of the card, along with their signature.
Stay in the loop with The North Coast Courier on Facebook, X, Instagram & YouTube for the latest news.
Mobile users can join our WhatsApp Broadcast Service here or if you’re on desktop, scan the QR code below.
