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All drivers whose licenses expired between March 26 and the end of August are in luck – the Road Traffic Management Corporation (RTMC) has announced that all licenses that expired in this period will be valid until January 2021.

The RTMC broke this news on Wednesday, July 22 saying: “All learners licences, driving licence cards, temporary driving licences and professional driving permits that expired from 26 March up to 31 Aug 2020 are extended to January 31, 2021.”

This information has also officially been gazetted:

1. All learners licences, driving licence cards, temporary driving licences and professional driving permits that expired from March 26 up to August 31, 2020 are extended to January 31, 2021.

2. All motor vehicle licence discs, temporary permits, and roadworthy certificates that expired during the period that commenced from 26 March 2020 up to and including 31 May 2020 are deemed to be valid and their validity period is extended for a further grace period ending on August 31, 2020.

3. Motor trade number licences that expired during the period that commenced from March 26 up to and including May 21 are deemed to be valid and are extended for a further grace period ending on November 30, 2020.

The Automobile Association (AA) has applauded this move, as drivers have been worried about “being legal” on the road with the high volume of renewal backlogs. It had also set up a petition to ensure licence renewal periods are extended to accommodate the country’s drivers.

“We applaud the government and the RTMC for making this decision which, ultimately, is the right way forward. We also want to thank the minister for being responsive to motorists’ needs during this difficult time and for taking this pragmatic step.”

Picture: Pixabay

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Lucinda is a hard news writer who occasionally dabbles in lifestyle writing, and recent journalism graduate. She is a proud intersectional feminist, and is passionate about actively creating a world which is free of discrimination and inequality.