The Department of Transport has extended the grace period for renewing expired driving licences to 15 April 2021 after the deadline on Thursday, 31 March.
In August 2021, Transport Minister, Fikile Mbalula, indicated that the extension of learner’s licences, driving licence cards, temporary driving licences, and driving permits for a grace period as it was part of the measures taken by the government in response to the national lockdown.
According to Mbalula, following consultation with several MECs and the South African Local Government Association, the department has decided to extend the grace period of the validity of driving licences, which expired between 26 March 2020 and 31 August 2021, to 15 April 2022.
Mbalula said the number of driving licence cards, for which renewal applications are still to be made, stands at 1 424 756, a reduction from 2 813 016.
“This means that only 49% of the affected motorists have applied for renewal of their expired driving licences… Motorists are not coming forward to renew their licences for a variety of reasons.
“As of 28 March 2022, we had produced 628 150 driving licence cards, reducing the backlog of cards to be printed to 522 839. This is in respect of those who have already applied to renew their licences, “Mbalula said.
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In the Western Cape, out of 403 507 expired licences, 218 286 driving licences have been renewed, representing 54.1% renewal.
Mbalula went on to say that the department has also agreed with the MECs that they will extend the operating hours of the driving licence testing centres in different provinces and open over weekends.
“Driving Licence Card Accounts already operating 24 hours a day to produce cards, with approval having been granted by the Department of Public Service and Administration for them to exceed the 30% cap on overtime, Mbalula said.
Meanwhile, the Road Traffic Management Corporation has been commissioned to undertake research on possible changes to the renewal periods.
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