Transport Minister Fikile Mbalula has announced the introduction of new driver’s licence cards which will be used from November next year until March 2024.
Mbalula was addressing the media at the Road Traffic Management Corporation (RTMC) offices in Midrand on Friday morning.
The government was under pressure to introduce driving licence cards with a 10-yearvalidity period. AfrForum had threatened to take the government to court over the matter. There were issues of backlogs with the cards during the Covid-19 pandemic.
In introducing the new smartcards-like drivers’ licence, Mbalula said the cards were more secure.
“I am pleased to announce that Cabinet has approved the replacement of the current driving licence card with a new card with more secure design features and will comply with the international driving licence standard.
“The current driving licence card was introduced in 1998 and the production equipment was procured in the same year. The technology has become obsolete,” said Mbalula.
He said the department would publish the changes to the driver’s licence card in the government gazette.
The department will start the procurement process for the new production infrastructure next month and pilot the new card from November 1 until March 31, 2024.
“The current driver’s licence card and the equipment used to produce it will be decommissioned on April 1, 2024,” Mbalula said.
“However, there will be a five-year period of transition from the old card to the new one. The current cards will continue to be recognised as valid until March 31, 2029.”
Source: Eyewitness News, Times Live, IOL, My Broadband, image from Twitter: Yfm