Gauteng makes progress in cracking driver license renewal backlog
Gauteng MEC for Public Transport and Roads Infrastructure Jacob Mamabolo has expressed his satisfaction with how the department together with the Road Traffic Management Corporation (RTMC) and the Driving License Card Account (DLCA) are making progress towards cracking the backlog in license renewals over the past two weeks.
This follows a meeting the MEC held today, 07 December 2020, to assess progress made following the 16 November 2020 decision for Driver Testing Licensing Centres (DLTCs) in the province to dedicate 70% of booking slots and capacity towards driving licenses renewals.
“I am pleased with how the department and our partners have responded to the measures we have introduced. In just two weeks, we have substantially increased the number of available slots,” said the MEC.
Over the month of November 2020, the department noted an increase in the availability of booking slots to more than 80 000, up from over 50 000 slots that were available in the month of October. More than 51 000 people managed to renew their driver’s license cards in November compared to 31 000 in the month of October.
“We also note the recent extension of the grace period for individuals whose drivers’ license validity was affected by the COVID-19 lockdown between March and August 2020. We, however, urge drivers’ license holders not to wait till the late hour to renew their driver’s licenses,” added Mamabolo.
In the latest extension of the validity period, Transport Minister Fikile Mbalula announced that all “learner's licences, driving licence cards, temporary driving licences and professional driving permits that expired during the period that commenced from 26 March 2020 up to and including 31 December 2020 are deemed to be valid and their validity periods are extended for a further grace period ending on 31 August 2021.”
As part of the new measures to deal with the backlog, the department together with its partners will introduce mobile DLTCs which will be distributed across all five developmental corridors of the Gauteng City Region. In addition, the department has extended the working hours for all provincial DLTC’s, allowing them to open on Saturdays and Sundays.
“We are aware of the trend that seems to be developing where people fail to honour their appointments. We are availing more capacity for the renewal of driver’s licenses so that we decisively address the backlogs. As such, our DLTCs will be open during the festive season,” added Mamabolo.
The department is also finalizing the appointment of a company that will conduct a forensic investigation into allegations of corruption and bribery at DLTC’s.
