South Africa is set to introduce a new driver’s licence card with new secure design features that comply with international standards<\/p>\n
Transport minister Fikile Mbalula said Friday (2 September) that the cabinet had approved the replacement of the current licence, with the current cards to be phased out. They will be valid until March 31 2029, reported the Sunday Times.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe current driver’s licence card was introduced in 1998, and the production equipment was procured in the same year. The technology has become obsolete,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
In a statement on Thursday, Cabinet said the technology has since evolved, and it is becoming expensive to maintain the current infrastructure.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe new proposed card will make the country\u2019s driving licence compatible with the International Information Technology Personal Identification Compliant Driving Licence (ISO18013),\u201d Cabinet said.<\/p>\n
Mbalula said the department would publish the changes to the driver’s licence card in the government gazette, with a procurement process for the new production infrastructure beginning next month.<\/p>\n
A pilot phase of the new card would begin on 1 November, running through to 31 March 2024.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe current driver’s licence card and the equipment used to produce it will be decommissioned on April 1 2024,\u201d Mbalula said. \u201cHowever, there will be a five-year period of transition from the old card to the new one. The current cards will continue to be recognised as valid until March 31 2029.\u201d<\/p>\n
10-year validity period<\/strong><\/p>\n The transport minister has also said that his department is ready to look at amending the five-year validity period that currently applies to driver\u2019s licence cards in South Africa.<\/p>\n