The Road Traffic Management Corporation (RTMC) allegedly misled the South African public about not extending the driving licence card validity period. The Organisation Undoing Tax Abuse (Outa) revealed the RTMC ignored their 2022 research recommending an eight-year validity. Instead, RTMC justified its decision with non-existent research. Outa questions the RTMC’s motives, suspecting financial interests linked to tender processes for new printing machines. The sole machine is 26 years old and overdue for replacement.
Sign up for your early morning brew of the BizNews Insider to keep you up to speed with the content that matters. The newsletter will land in your inbox at 5:30am weekdays. Register here.
The Road Traffic Management Corporation (RTMC) allegedly lied to the South African public regarding the reasoning behind its refusal to extend the country’s driving licence card validity period.
Moreover, the country’s lone driving licence card printing machine is roughly 26 years old and should have been replaced 15 years ago.
In a statement released on Wednesday, 14 August 2024, the Organisation Undoing Tax Abuse (Outa) slammed the RTMC for misleading the public.
Outa said the RTMC ignored the research it had conducted in 2022, which recommended extending the validity period to eight years, and justified its decision by citing research it doesn’t have.
In July 2024, the civil action organisation asked the RTMC and the Department of Transport (DoT) for the two reports they used when deciding on the driving licence validity matter.
The RTMC conducted research for the first report, published in 2022 and titled Driving Licence Card Validity Period review. It previously refused to supply Outa with the report but has now given in.
However, there was a second report on which RTMC CEO Makhosini Msibi based his claim that the validity period wouldn’t be extended as a number of accidents on South Africa’s roads relate to “communicable and other diseases”.
The RTMC said it refused to supply the report as it falls under ongoing research relating to the validity period. However, the DoT told Outa that no such research exists.
“It is clear that the RTMC is deliberately misleading the public on its so-called reason not to extend the driving licence card validity period,” says Stefanie Fick, Outa’s executive director.
“Outa now questions the motives of the RTMC, as the ultimate decision to extend the validity period lies with the Minister of Transport, who in turn should not be influenced by an entity with vested financial interests in the decision.”
She added that Outa finds Msibi’s claim relating to “communicable and other diseases” to be ludicrous and lacking in any factual basis.
Outa is concerned that the RTMC’s refusal to extend validity is linked to the tender process for procuring a new card printing machine and the money to be made from reprinting cards every five years.
The civil action organisation also outlined the key findings of the Driving Licence Card Validity Period Review, written by consultants Zutari for the RTMC.
It proposes extending the validity to eight years for light vehicles and keeping the period for heavy vehicles to five years.
“The average driving licence card validity period of almost ten years in more developed countries, with much better road safety ratios, highly motivates and validates a longer renewal period in line with international best practice,” it reads.
“However, blindly assuming international practice without critically contrasting South Africa’s context with these countries would be potentially damaging to the driving licence system and road safety in the country.”
MyBroadband asked the RTMC for comment on Outa’s claims, but it didn’t respond to our query.
One of the major concerns surrounding South Africa’s driving licence system is the fact that there is only one printing machine in the country, and its age makes it prone to breakdowns.
According to the report, the machine has been in service since 1998 and should have been replaced around 2009.
South Africa is currently procuring a new printing machine, which will also see the introduction of a new driving licence card, but there is much confusion over the process.
In early April 2024, former transport minister Sindisiwe Chikunga said that her department would start printing the new cards at the end of that month.
However, it missed this deadline, and in June, the department said it was yet to award tender to procure the machine but had shortlisted five bidders.
In 2022, South Africa’s transport minister from May 2019 to March 2024, Fikile Mbalula, announced the country’s plans for a new printer, new cards, and a potential validity extension.
He commissioned the RTMC to research the viability of a validity extension.
However, none of this came to fruition during his time as minister, and he left the driving licence system in chaos.
Read also:
- How government turned millions of drivers into lawbreakers … for longer
- OUTA looking to sink energy regulator’s Karpowership SA licences
- E-tolls decision by October? Don’t hold your breath, according to OUTA
This article was first published by MyBroadband and is republished with permission
