Durban – South African Transport Minister Fikile Mbalula said on Thursday that there will be no more extension periods for the renewal of driving licence cards.
Mbalula was speaking during the release of the Eastern period road statistics.
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The minister pointed out that only a week remained before the deadline for the extended period for renewing cards that expired between March 26, 2020 and August 31, 2021.
He said South Africa has a backlog of 1.3 million expired driving licence cards. Motorists between the ages of 25 and 50 make up 68% of the backlog, around 880 000 people.
In light of the backlog, Mbalula said the department has created a plan, which is already operational in all nine provinces, to address it.
These measures include, but are not limited to, extending operating hours of licensing centres by two hours.
Until May 31, licensing centres will be opened on a Saturday and Sunday.
In the Eastern Cape and Gauteng, walk-in customers who did not make an online booking will be serviced.
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“Motorists must understand that they have to utilise their booked slots to help us tackle the backlog in a meaningful way.
“We urge these drivers to ensure that they honour their commitment and take up the slots, which slots would ordinarily have been used by others who have difficulty in finding slots closer to where they live,” Mbalula said.
With regards to SA’s infamous driving licence card machine, Mbalula said the department has overcome the challenges it faced after the machine broke down in November last year.
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As of April 27, the department has produced 789 600 driving licence cards.
The remaining 596 513 cards will be printed by June 2022, Mbalula said.
“We have done everything to remove obstacles that were an impediment in the renewal of driving licences. It is now up to the motoring public to overcome their inertia and comply,” the minister said.
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