The Organisation Undoing Tax Abuse (Outa) has called on transport minister Fikile Mbalula, to consider changing the driver\u2019s license renewal process from five to 10 years.<\/p>\n
It comes amid a backlog of vehicle licence discs renewals caused by Covid-19 and the resulting lockdown period in South Africa, lasting more than five months.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe believe that both the state and its citizens would benefit from a formal extension of the DL period of applicability from the current five year period to one of 10 years,\u201d said Dominique Msibi, portfolio manager at Outa\u2019s Public Governance Division.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis should save the SA consumer and government time and money as well as improve the administration and manageability of the renewal process by the state.\u201d<\/p>\n
Outa proposed the following to the minister of transport:<\/p>\n
\u201cThe state is facing a growing crisis of legitimacy in its inability to address the backlog of DL renewals, which appears to be getting worse, not better. This in turn is spilling out into a crisis of administrative challenges that has the potential for citizens to be deemed as not acting \u2018outside the law\u2019, when driving without a license, due to the state\u2019s inefficiencies,” Msibi said.<\/p>\n
“The extension of the grace period for \u2018expired\u2019 DL is becoming the norm. We believe there will be no adverse impact on the lives of South Africans in the case of extending DL renewal to 10-years,\u201d Msibi said.<\/p>\n
In its research, Outa compared the South African process of DL renewals with best practice internationally. The study looked at the following:<\/p>\n
Outa said that while the current backlog highlights the need for improved efficiencies in the administration of DL renewals, “we sincerely believe it is time for South Africa to introduce formal extensions to the period of applicability to 10 years (as opposed to the current period of 5-years), as is done in many countries around the world”.<\/p>\n
This in turn will alleviate the current pressures on the state to keep pace with the growing administrative demand, as well as enable the DL renewal administrative processes to be improved, it said.<\/p>\n
The Automobile Association (AA) meanwhile, said that a moratorium on fining motorists without renewed driving licences must be implemented as a matter of urgency, and that immediate steps be taken to fix the current renewal processes.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe current system was broken even before the lockdown began. Now, with thousands of anxious motorists struggling to renew their driving licence cards for a variety of reasons, the failures of the system are being exposed even more.<\/p>\n
“And, what is most concerning, is that there appears to be no acknowledgement of this by the authorities, nor of any attempts to assist the public. We must be honest and admit that the current processes are, quite simply, shambolic,\u201d said the AA.<\/p>\n
The association said of particular concern is that the already under resourced and inadequately staffed traffic law enforcement authorities are setting up roadblocks to ensnare motorists with expired driving licence cards and vehicle licence discs, even though they are aware that there are few avenues for motorists to actually renew these documents.<\/p>\n
All the while, more serious violations are not being dealt with because traffic law enforcement officers are focussing on soft targets.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s an absurd situation where motorists cannot renew their discs or cards, and are then stopped and fined for not having done so. It\u2019s not news to anyone that the online booking system is not functional, that Driving Licence Testing Centres (DLTCs) are open erratically and under-staffed, and that online networks at DLTCs are also often down, all of which result in motorists being unable to renew their cards.<\/p>\n
“The only people who don\u2019t seem to acknowledge these issues are the authorities and it\u2019s the motorists who ultimately suffer,\u201d the AA said.<\/p>\n
In addition to placing the moratorium on fines, the AA said it has now become more than critical that alternatives to the current renewals processes are implemented.<\/p>\n
\u201cNot only must third party agents such as the AA be allowed to renew driving licence cards, but the current system needs a dramatic overhaul, and quickly. There can be no doubt that the current way of doing business must change, and change now,\u201d the AA said.<\/p>\n
It said that calls by the Outa to extend the validity of driving licences from five to 10 years makes sense provided motorists have their eyes tested by registered professionals at least every five years to ensure their vision is good enough to remain safe on the road.<\/p>\n
It suggests that these eye tests are also carried by motorists and presented to authorities when asked to do so.<\/p>\n
But, the AA said, increasing the validity of licences from five to 10 years must run parallel to ensuring the current system is improved and updated.<\/p>\n
\u201cMotorists must be able to easily renew their vehicle licence discs and driving licence cards, through a system which is responsive and available, and which actually works,” the AA said.<\/p>\n