The Department of Transport says South Africa’s massive driving licence backlog has been halved over the last four months, but more than 336 000 motorists are still waiting for their cards.
According to spokesperson Collen Msibi, the backlog ballooned earlier this year when the country’s only licence printing machine broke down in February and only returned to service in May.
At its peak, more than 756 000 applications were stuck in the system.
Thanks to 24-hour operations at the Driving Licence Card Authority (DLCA), the backlog was reduced to 336 028 by 13 September. Government says it is on track to clear the remainder by December 2025, if progress continues at the current pace.
Transport Minister Barbara Creecy also confirmed that an interim printing solution is being introduced through a partnership with the Department of Home Affairs. The Government Printing Works, which already produces passports and Smart IDs, will take over some of the workload. The system is expected to be operational from October.
The push for an interim plan comes as government’s attempt to buy a new printing machine has run into controversy. A R800-million tender awarded to French company Idemia last year is now under review after the Auditor-General flagged serious irregularities, including that the evaluation team inspected the wrong machine model in the wrong country. The matter is currently before the High Court.
If the DLCA keeps reducing the backlog at the present rate, motorists could finally see the pile-up cleared just before Christmas. For those still waiting on their cards, relief may soon be in sight.
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