Select Driving License Testing Centres (DLTCs) in the Western Cape will reopen on June 9. The centres were closed during the national lockdown and have now been green-lighted to resume certain services under Level 3 of the lockdown.

Here is what to expect when they reopen.

The facilities slated for reopening are Gallows Hill, Milnerton, Fish Hoek, Brackenfell, Parow, Bellville, Hillstar, Joe Gqabi, Gordon’s Bay and Kuilsriver.

“The City has taken into account numerous factors to advance the safety of staff and clients, guided by health and hygiene protocols to mitigate the spread of COVID-19,” said the City in a statement. “This has meant some changes to the way in which services are rendered and we appeal to the public to please cooperate with the ‘new normal’.”

As a result, only certain services will be available. The priorities upon reopening include:

– Catering to the needs of essential services staff who need to renew documentation. They need to present their essential services permits on arrival
– Dealing with the backlog of learner license and driving license tests that were scheduled during the lockdown closure
– the renewal of professional driving permits (PrDPs)
– Collection of new driving license cards
– Clients will also be able to settle traffic fines at DLTCs, although the City encourages online payment options be used, if possible. Traffic fines can be settled via www.paycity.co.za or www.paymyfines.co.za, via EFT or most ATMs or at Spar till points.

Until further notice, the following services are on hold:

– All new applications for learner license tests, including applications for duplicate learner’s licence, until the backlog is cleared and new bookings for driving licences
– All other DLTC services, including foreign conversions of driving licences in terms of section 23 of the National Road Traffic Act

Some of the changes that will be implemented at DLTCs to advance health and hygiene protocols include:

– Strict access control at all DLTCs, with only persons there on official business to be allowed onto the premises
– Temperature checks and hand sanitising of all persons entering the premises
– Regular cleaning of DLTC spaces during the work day
– Sanitising of eye testing equipment and work surfaces after every use
– Queue management and restrictions on the number of visitors inside the premises at any given time
– All persons have to wear a face mask
– Learner license testing classes at 50% of capacity to ensure social distancing
– Sanitising of learner license testing room and materials used after every test
– Driving schools to ensure they disinfect their vehicles prior to tests and to be confirmed by the examiner

Because of the aforementioned restrictions and changes, the City advises clients that transactions could take longer to finalise.

Motorists are reminded that a 90-day grace period applies for documents that expired during the lockdown closures, including driving licenses, learner licenses, PrDPs and vehicle registration and renewal discs, from June 1, 2020.

Picture: Pixabay

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