Long queues and understaffed vehicle-licensing centres frustrate thousands of drivers in South Africa – but now the national Transport Department could anger drivers further by compelling them to take a practical test when renewing a driving licence reports Wheels24.
Draft regulations intended to curb road carnage include slower speed limits, the banning of carrying children in a bakkie load bay and restricting the use of heavy vehicles on public roads.
SPEED LIMIT TO BE DROPPED?
In April 2015, Wheels24 reported that national Minister of Transport Dipuo Peters had proposed restrictions on goods vehicles on public roads. Now it seems the minister is making good on her promise to restrict the use of commercial vehicles with a gross vehicle mass (GVM) exceeding 9000kg.
The draft regulations have been published in the Government Gazette and propose these changes to legislation:
• Drivers to be re-evaluated when renewing a licence
• No more than five people to be carried in a bakkie load bed
• Children not to be transported in a bakkie load bed
• Speed limits to be reduced from 60 to 40km/h in urban areas, from 100 to 80km/h in rural areas and from 120 to 100km/h on freeways running through a residential area
• Goods vehicles above 9000kg GVM to be banned from public roads during peak travelling times
WATCH VIDEO: Reaction to government’s ‘random driver testing’ plan
IMPLEMENTED BY THE END OF 2015?
Transport department spokesman Ishmael Mnisi told Wheels24 that the proposed legislation would have to be presented to his party’s cabinet, be discussed in Parliament and include public input.
He said the department hoped to implement the proposed regulations by the end of 2015.
