The Department of Transport (DoT) plans to introduce smart-card technology with the debut of South Africa’s new driver’s licence card, which is set to be launched before the end of this financial year.
These smart-card technologies will pave the way for virtual, otherwise known as electronic driver’s licences (eDL), which will be rolled out in a phased approach over the next three years until 2025/26, as per BusinessTech.
In addition, the DoT has committed to automating driving licence application processes during this same time.
Digital driving licences for South Africa were first mentioned by former transport minister Fikile Mbalula in 2022, when he announced that the department would officially debut the system in the 2024/25 financial year.
With the introduction of the eDL, the motorist will have an option to apply for a physical card and electronic driver’s licence which will be accessible through a mobile phone, thus shortening the renewal process and reducing the need to stand in lengthy lines at the physical renewal centres, said Mbalula.
8-year driver’s licences incoming
Earlier in August, current transport minister Sindisiwe Chikunga confirmed that she is heading to Cabinet with a proposal to extend the validity period for driver’s licences in South Africa from five to eight years.
First tabled by Mbalula in October 2022, extending the validity period will have many benefits to the economy, chief among which are reduced administrative burdens on overloaded government departments, reduced spending for government and citizens, and less-frequent occurrence of licence renewal backlogs.
The eight-year validity timeframe is expected to be instated alongside the new licence cards, however, this remains subject to Cabinet approval.
The new licence cards will be introduced by March 2024, according to DOT spokesperson Collen Msibi, and will feature tighter security control measures to fight crime and corruption.
The process is starting with a pilot project that will run for four months to iron out any issues that may arise, and thereafter the new licences will be rolled out to the entire country. The transition period from the old to the new card is expected to take around five years.
Tender document showing South Africa’s new licence card
Civil groups including the Organisation Undoing Tax Abuse (Outa) have argued that a 10-year renewal period would be more in line with international standards and amplify the benefits that an eight-year period will already provide.
Others like AfriForum contend that the National Road Traffic Act makes no provision for an expiration date of any sort on licence cards, and have taken the Road Traffic Management Corporation (RTMC) to court in an attempt to get it to remove the validity period completely, or at the very least declare fines for expired cards unlawful.
Despite these counterarguments, an eight-year licence card would be a big step in the right direction and Chikunga said it will be the first proposal she takes to Cabinet before any other document on her desk.
This will be the second time the DoT has approached Cabinet with a proposed new licencing scheme, the first time being unsuccessful because the department “could not find a suitable service provider to do the work,” said Msibi.
Keyword: South Africa is getting electronic driver’s licences – Dates and details