Driver’s license renewal delays: HOW BAD is the backlog?

In the wake of two week’s routine maintenance back in April this year, and yet another breakdown of the country’s only card printing machine, the Department of Transport (DOT) has publicised that there is a driver’s license renewal delay of some 350 000 applicants, reports TopAuto.

DRIVER’S LICENSE RENEWAL DELAY

The breakdown of the card printing machine is the third in just one and a half years for the country and follows the massive initial backlog caused by the downtime and aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic.

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Back in 2021, Fikile Mbalula extended the validity of all learner’s and driver’s license cars from August 2021 to March 2022. Will such a scenario arise again in the wake of this new driver’s license renewal delay?

IS ANOTHER DRIVER’S LICENSE EXTENSION ON THE CARDS?

We’ll have to wait and see how the DOT reacts to the most recent card-machine breakdown. The DOT said the latest fault is due to a broken part that was found inside the machine during maintenance and will necessitate another two to three weeks of downtime while a replacement part is dispatched from Germany.

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Worse still, testing of the card printing machine after the replacement will take another two weeks before it can be certified to go back to full production, confirmed the DOT.

HOW BAD IS THE BACKLOG?

Be in no doubt, the backlog is significant. If you were to renew your license today, you’d have 350 000 people ahead of you waiting in the queue for theirs to be processed and printed. The DOT has said there is a catch-up plan to address the backlog, and it hopes the deficit will be cleared by August 2023.

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Once the card machine is fixed it will see an increase in production from 60 000 to about 120 000 cards per week. The DOT reminded everyone that the long-operational machine – believed to be the last of its kind still operational in the world – produces 2.85 million cards per year. Since it came online in 1998, it has printed more than 60 million driver’s license cards.

The existing card machine will be decommissioned on 1 April 2024.

NEW LICENSE CARDS FOR SOUTH AFRICA

Nevertheless, the DOT cannot wait to move away from the antiquated technology, confirming recently that a new driver’s license card will be launched this year. Yes, this will mean the introduction of an entirely new card printing machine.

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It is understood the new car system will be trialed to March 2024, followed by a five-year transition period between the old to the new. Meaning your driver’s license will remain valid until March 2029.

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