Motorists to pay more for vehicle licences

A 4.5% increase aims to help with the maintenance of roads

WESTERN Cape motorists will soon be coughing up 4.5% more for their vehicle licence fees, if the provincial government’s proposal is approved. Transport and Public Works MEC Donald Grant said draft regulations were now open for public comment until Monday, January 15.

“While not required by law, we have continued to publish these draft regulations for comment so as to allow the close to 2 million vehicle owners in the Western Cape the opportunity to submit their comments,” he said.

The fees are calculated on the vehicle classification.

Motorists face paying between R282 and R696 for vehicles with tare of between 250kg and 2 000kg. Those whose vehicles weigh between 2 001kg and 4 000kg would have to cough up between R948 and R2 304. Licence fees for vehicles with tare of between 4 001kg and 7 000kg will be between R2 538 and R8 292.

The highest fee is R22 302 for vehicles with a tare of between 11 501kg and 12 000kg. For each additional 500kg or part thereof above 12 000kg, a levy of R2 256 will be charged.

A trailer, other than a semi-trailer, which is used only for the owner’s own farming activities will cost R102 to license.

A breakdown vehicle will be charged according to its weight, and so will a truck-tractor, depending on its use. A trailer or semi-trailer (used for other purposes) will also be charged according to its weight, but motorists can expect to pay between R138 and R696 for trailers with a weight of between 250kg and 2 000kg.

A caravan, other than a motorhome, will be charged at R282. Licence fees for specially classified vehicles will be charged at R102.

Grant said the province relied on vehicle licence fees to build, upgrade and maintain the provincially owned roads; assist municipalities to fund the maintenance of their more strategic roads; and continue to reduce the maintenance backlog, which has been decreased by over 16% over the last seven years.

“These fees, along with budgetary allocations, help keep the province’s roads in a condition significantly above that of other provinces, with many visitors to this province attesting to this freely and frequently. Our roads are an asset with an approximate value of R68 billion and they are consumed, over time, by the close to 2 million vehicle owners in the Western Cape and other users,” he said.

Grant called for public comments on

OUR ROADS ARE AN ASSET WITH AN APPROXIMATE VALUE OF R68 BILLION AND THEY ARE CONSUMED BY CLOSE TO 2 MILLION VEHICLES

the allocation of the “CAA” licence mark to the registering centres of the City of Cape Town where the known “CA” licence mark currently applies.

He noted that the move was a preemptive one, driven by the rate at which the current “CA” licence numbers were be being depleted as registration centres were running out of unique combinations for new vehicles.