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Wheels24 reader Wilhelm Basson shares his nightmare of trying to renew his driving licence card with motoring News24 Motoring editor Janine van der Post. He's been back and forth to the driving licence centre in his area, only to be told twice his fingerprints, and then his photo needed to be redone two months after applying. He's still waiting for his new card.
South Africa's driving licence system is due for a ramp-up, according to Transport Minister Fikile Mbalula as new processors are being put in place.
A longer validity period for driving licence cards is being evaluated, and the country will see new cards being rolled out as of November 2023. They will have new security design features.
But the biggest news is the waiting period after applying for new cards will now only take 10 working days instead of 58, Mbalula announced in a media briefing earlier in August.
READ | Driving licence renewals will take 10 days instead of 58, says Mbalula as backlog cleared
However, Wheels24 readers across the country are being sent back and forth to driving licence testing stations as they're being told weeks and even months after applying for new cards their fingerprints or photos are not valid and need to be redone.
Wilhelm Basson is one such reader who has shared his driving licence dilemma with Wheels24.
Basson writes: "I want to tell you about the difficulties I am experiencing at the Brakpan testing station in acquiring my new driving licence card [renewal].
"My driving licence card expired on 29 May 2022. I got an appointment on 6 May 2022 at Brakpan testing station to renew my licence card. After the successful application, they told me it would take eight weeks to be processed and delivered.
"After numerous phone calls to the testing station, I was eventually informed there was a problem with my fingerprints and that I should come in to have them redone. I went the following day, 29 July [two months later], and was told that the problem was not with the fingerprints but with the photo they took with their computer. They retook my picture and was told that I would have to wait another six weeks.
LETTER | Our fingerprints were 'lost' - 'Trying to get our driving licence has been a nightmare'
"I tried numerous times to phone them unsuccessfully for a follow-up, as their phones don't work most of the time - they blame this on load shedding. So, I went to see them again on 16 August. They checked their system and, to my astonishment, said they needed to retake my fingerprints and photo this time, and the application must be refiled due to rejection.
"When I queried why there was a problem with my licence, they asked if I worked with chemicals, and they all laughed as if it was a joke to them. "Afterwards, I heard from another woman that works there that there is a problem with many people who applied earlier in May, June and July this year.
"Now I have to wait another eight weeks, and my temporary driving licence expires at the end of October. If I don't receive my licence card in time, I will be liable if fined by traffic cops due to no fault of mine.
"It seems as if someone doesn't know what they are doing; it smacks of incompetency.
"Below is a screenshot of an SMS I requested from 33214 about my licence status."
It's a sad state of affairs, and Basson's letter is just one of many in my mailbox from our readers who shared similar stories.
We've approached the Department of Transport and Mbalula's office several times about this "fingerprint" problem, and they're yet to respond.
It's all good, and well, we're getting new driving licence cards - but why could our driving licences not be incorporated into the new South African smart ID card?
The new security features are yet to be revealed. Yet, it's unacceptable that motorists who are trying to be law-abiding citizens have to be this inconvenienced and ridiculed, especially our senior citizens.
READ | New driving licence cards approved for South Africa, rollout set for November 2023
It's worth mentioning there are several DLTCs where service is impeccable, and some readers have shared their driving licence applications have been quick and easy, and new cards have been delivered in less than three weeks.
However, these roses among the thorns are few. And we deserve the same level of service and turn-around times from all centres.
But new driving licence cards will not fix our broken system, nor will they improve service delivery at DLTCs.
We can only wonder, should Mbalula instead not focus on improving an incompetent system than introducing new cards? And, let's not even talk about the unfriendly Natis online licence booking system - we'll tackle that another day.
While these new cards will be rolled out next year, and licence renewal waiting periods are now "only 10 days", there are still motorists waiting to receive their driving licences from 2021.
If you are one of those motorists awaiting the arrival of your card, I strongly advise not waiting for the SMS to arrive to collect, if you have the means to visit your driving licence centre, please physically go and check if your licence is already waiting for you.
