Nationwide driving licence cards backlog

A LABOUR dispute has led to a nationwide backlog in the issuing of driving licence cards, including in Kimberley, where some motorists have been waiting for up to two months.

The Department of Transport has advised all those waiting for their new driving licences to get a temporary licence.

The backlog is believed to be the result of industrial action that started three months ago at the Driving Licensing Card and Account (DLCA) in Gauteng.

The DLCA is the only national government department responsible for the printing of all driving licence cards for both provincial and municipal licensing centres.

In Kimberley, the issuing of driving licences would usually take three to six weeks for delivery of the new licence card but some people have waited for more than two months.

A source at a provincial licensing office said some drivers who renewed their licences in August still have not received their cards.

“They are coming in so often but we have to tell them to come back another time because the licence cards have not arrived,” said the source.

Spokesperson for the Sol Plaatje Municipality, Thoko Riet, said yesterday that the DLCA also had a system upgrade between July and August this year.

“While they were busy with the upgrade the municipality continued making licence applications, thus the backlog,” Riet said.

She added that the centre was now dealing with the backlog of applications between July and August.

“Although there are applicants who have already received their licences, others are still waiting and the centre is trying hard to issue backlog licences.”

Riet confirmed that there were still a few outstanding licences in Kimberley.

The DLCA team produces about 450 000 licence cards a month.

According to Themba Masango of the #NotInMyName campaign, that is in support of the employees, the disgruntled group had been working at the company for 20 years before the company was taken over by the Department of Transport in 2015.

The 15 workers in the production unit were still contract workers three years after the takeover.

“They are ready to go back to work but only if the DLCA agrees not to forfeit their benefits. These are people who are in their 40s, 50s and 60s who dedicated 20 years of their lives to the company. They have families and responsibilities but have now not received a salary for three months. They should get what is due to them,” Masango said.

National spokesperson for the Department of Transport, Ishmael Mnisi, said yesterday that a contingency plan had been put in place and only 15 000 cards could be produced a month.

He said the ministry issued a directive that no posts should be filled until the dispute is arbitrated upon by both the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration and the General Public Service Sector Bargaining Council.

Mnisi said while the contingency plan was being implemented, they expected the recovery of the backlog to be completed by the end of the month.

A spokesperson for the Sol Plaatje traffic department said that motorists who were renewing or applying for their licences for the first time were advised to get a temporary licence. “This will suffice if they are stopped by traffic officers as it is a legal document,” he said.