Licence disc warning for South Africa
Motorists who intend to travel over the Easter long weekend have been warned to ensure the validity of their vehicle licence discs and driving licence cards.
This comes as the traffic department’s Natis system shows that 700,399 vehicle licence discs will be expiring at the end of March.
The renewal of vehicle licence discs affects:
- 259,563 vehicles in Gauteng
- 116,633 vehicles in the Western Cape
- 98,735 vehicles in KwaZulu-Natal
- 51,198 vehicles in Mpumalanga
- 45,240 vehicles in Limpopo
- 44,840 vehicles in the Eastern Cape
- 36,335 in the North West
- 31,964 vehicles in the Free State
- 15,891 vehicles in the Northern Cape
The Road Traffic Management Corporation (RTMC) said motorists can renew their vehicle licence discs in the comfort of their home or office by using the online.natis.gov.za platform.
“The disc will be delivered within three to five working days. More than six million vehicle licence discs have been processed through this platform since it became available in 2022.
“Drivers based in Gauteng, Gqeberha and Karigan in the Eastern Cape can use the same platform to prebook a slot to renew driving licence cards. Drivers in other provinces can use the services at their driving licence centres,” the RTMC said.
A total of 128,080 driving licence cards will be expiring in the same period and need to be renewed.
This will affect:
- 44,142 drivers in Gauteng
- 20,188 drivers in KwaZulu-Natal
- 17,108 in the Western Cape
- 12,515 in Mpumalanga
- 11,831 in Limpopo
- 8,404 in the Eastern Cape
- 6,187 in North West
- 5,471 in Free State
- 2,234 in the Northern Cape
In addition to ensuring their licensing is up to date, motorists are also being warned to take precautions as the busy Easter holiday season approaches.
Expect enforcement to pick up
The Department of Transport often launches its Easter road safety campaign in March in preparation for the period, which will run between 2 and 7 April 2026.
April will also have public holidays at the end of the month, with many taking off between 27 April and 1 May as well.
During the 2025 Easter period, the department noted a significant decline in fatalities following interventions.
It said that Easter 2025 had the lowest number of crashes and fatalities the country had seen for the last three years.
Crashes were reduced from 209 in 2024 to 141 in 2025, which was a 32.5% overall decrease. All provinces recorded decreases, except the Eastern Cape and Mpumalanga, which both recorded increases.
Fatalities decreased from 307 in 2024 to 167 in 2025, a 45.6% drop.
All provinces recorded decreases in fatalities except Mpumalanga, which recorded a 27.3% compared to 2024. Twenty-eight fatalities were recorded in Mpumalanga compared to 22 in 2024.
At the time, minister Barbara Creecy attributed the declines to three factors:
- Widespread and consistent law enforcement operations across all nine provinces;
- Co-ordinated action by national, provincial and local government authorities;
- Significant partnerships between civil society and government led to a public campaign that positively impacted driver behaviour.
In terms of policing, the period is marked by more active and visible policing and an increase in roadblocks checking for valid licensing, vehicle roadworthiness, and drivers under the influence of alcohol.
While the 2026 campaign is yet to kick off, drivers should expect the same—with potentially harsher enforcement on drinking and driving, with the department actively pursuing a zero-percent limit.
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