This month marks the start of the massive roll-out of the electronic driving licence booking system to 10 testing centres in the Eastern Cape.
The identified centres include King Williams Town, East London, Gonubie, Port Alfred, Kirkwood, Port Elizabeth, Uitenhage, Humansdorp, Queenstown and Grahamstown. This new centralised booking system for learners and driving licence as a tool to:
* eradicate licence related fraud and corruption, increase customer convenience
* improve learner and driving licence related revenue management
* create an efficient operating and management environment in driving licence testing centres.
Some provinces had stand alone systems that did not integrate with national traffic information system (eNaTIS). This disjointed approach contributes to corrupt practices and this brought about the need for a national electronic booking system. The functionality was developed over a period of three years and completed in 2007.
The booking system was approved and Gazetted on 4 May 2007 in the government Gazette No 29865 dated 4 May 2007. The first site in the Eastern Cape was rolled out on 1 October 2008 in Queenstown, followed by Port Elizabeth Driving Licence Testing Centre.
The provincial Department of Transport, after evaluating the pilot system, then agreed to continue the roll out as a matter of urgency in the light of the above mentioned reasons and also to be in line with all the other provinces that have completed the roll out process. The final rollout date for all provinces is 1 February 2010. All driving licence centres must be rolled out before the computerised learners licence testing can be implemented.
The benefits of the electronic booking systems are:
* It is integrated with related transactions on the eNaTIS thus streamlining the learner’s or driving licence process
* It will be available country wide making it possible to implement uniform processes nationally
* It will ensure that available capacity in terms of driving licence testing centres and examiners is utilised optimally thus eliminating the frustration currently experienced by members of the public
* The examiner will only become aware of who the applicant is on the day of the test as well as the applicant will only meet the examiner on the day of the test
* The allocation will be system generated
* The electronic booking system will ensure transparency when it comes to the allocation of booking dates due to the fact that it will be system generated
* No block booking of whatever nature, for example by driving schools or anonymous applicants will be allowed because the availability of appointments will be determined and managed by the eNaTIS system
* It will not be possible to capture tests results or to issue a learner a driving licence if no test appointment was made.
The Eastern Cape province is in the final stages of completing the rollout process as we intend to ensure that all 58 testing centres are compliant.
Media contact:
Ncedo Kumbaca
Cell: 082 44 22 388
Issued by: Department of Transport, Eastern Cape Provincial Government
7 December 2009
Source: Department of Transport, Eastern Cape Provincial Government
(http://www.ectransport.gov.za/)
