Thousands still waiting for driving licences
THE backlog in issuing driving licence cards is at more than 124 000 following a labour dispute in July last year.
While many motorists in KwaZulu-Natal have eventually received their licence cards, many more are still waiting.
The Transport Department said it had introduced a contingency plan to recover production time lost during the labour dispute.
Card production officers have started working increased hours to address the backlog while a directive has been issued to traffic authorities not to penalise those who’ve complied with the rules in renewing their applications.
Those who renewed their driving licence three months before it expired and new applicants who applied for temporary driving licences would be taken into consideration by traffic authorities. Those applying for licences after they’ve expired must by law obtain a temporary one in order to be let off the hook.
The department assured that if a temporary driving licence had lapsed due to the backlog, motorists did not have to reapply but would have to produce their expired temporary licence when requested.
Ingrid Angus relayed her frustrations when she and her family travelled to Italy in December and were barred from hiring a vehicle due to their licence woes.
Angus said her son Clayton applied for his driving licence card and a temporary licence but was not allowed to drive the hired vehicle with a temporary licence. “We went overseas to Italy in December and organised a car hire online from Milan airport. As Clayton was driving he had also got an AA international car licence at La Lucia Mall.
“When arriving at the car hire at Milan Airport, we were told temporary driving licences are not allowed,” she said. To make matters worse when Clayton sent an SMS to enquire as to the status of his driving licence card, he received a reply telling him there was no valid application under his identity number.
They were forced to abandon the car rental on their holiday.
The DA wrote to KZN Transport MEC Mxolisi Kaunda to request an immediate inquiry into damning claims that the nationwide backlog was the result of sabotage by eight individuals employed by the Government Printing Works.
DA KZN spokesperson on Transport Rafeek Shah said the allegation was made by Motor Licensng Bureau (MLB) officials during oversight inspections by the DA at the Camperdown and Estcourt Motor Licencing Bureaus.
“Officials have claimed the lengthy delays are not only the result of the Printing Works strike action between June and November 2018 but also due to tampering with the eNatis system by certain employees during this period.
“This includes wiping out or switching details such as applicants’ fingerprints, photos and eye test results. This has led to hundreds of applicants having to re-do these tests,” Shah said.