Transport Minister Barbara Creecy is considering extending the validity of South African driving licence cards following a formal request by civil action group OUTA, as the country battles a massive backlog caused by the breakdown of the only card-printing machine.
The Organisation Undoing Tax Abuse (OUTA), led by Wayne Duvenage, wrote to Creecy on 17 June urging her to extend the validity period to 10 years and issue a moratorium on fines for motorists whose renewed cards are stuck in the system.
According to the Department of Transport, the card backlog has grown to nearly 690,000 due to the earlier failure of the ageing printing machine.
OUTA’s Advocate Stefanie Fick said it’s unacceptable for law-abiding motorists to be fined or harassed while they wait for their cards through no fault of their own.
“It’s an issue of fairness. Motorists who have done their part shouldn’t be penalised because government systems failed,” said Fick.
The department’s spokesperson, Collen Msibi, confirmed receipt of OUTA’s letter and said the matter is being processed for the minister’s attention. He added that the Driving Licence Card Account (DLCA) is conducting a study into the financial implications of extending the card validity.
Read | Advice for Drivers Whose Licence Cards Expired During the Printing Machine Breakdown
In the meantime, Msibi reminded drivers that they are allowed to drive for up to three months with an expired licence card, provided they can show proof that they applied for a renewal before it expired. If the card was already expired at the time of application, motorists must obtain a temporary driver’s licence, valid for six months.
OUTA has also flagged irregularities in the tender process for a new card printer, which Creecy acknowledged earlier this year. She confirmed plans to challenge the tender award in court after the auditor-general found procurement irregularities.
As pressure mounts, all eyes are now on Creecy to see whether she will follow through on OUTA’s proposal to ease the burden on motorists until the system stabilises.
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