What to do if you can’t book a driver’s licence renewal appointment online

The National Traffic Information System (Natis) has launched a new feature for drivers in Gauteng who are struggling to renew their driver’s licences.

A new “request a slot” feature on the organisation’s website will now allow a user to fill in their information and request a slot to renew their driver’s licence at one of their preferred driving licence testing centres (DLTCs).

According to Gauteng Transport MEC Jacob Mamabolo, the programme aims to reduce the backlog of an estimated 430,000 outstanding driving licence renewals in the province – and that 35,000 new slots will be made available each month.

How it works

When visiting the Natis website, you are prompted to select the province where you want to renew your driver’s licence.

Currently, only Gauteng and the Eastern Cape support online bookings – and Gauteng is the only province where the “request a slot” system is active.

Selecting Gauteng returns an array of services that can be performed at local DLTCs, with the new feature being the first option in the list.

Clicking on the “request a slot” feature brings up a submission form where drivers are asked to enter their:

• ID number
• Surname
• Initials
• Mobile number
• Email address
• Preferred DLTC
• Alternative DLTC

The last step is then to submit the filled-in form and confirmation of a booked slot will be sent to the provided email address within 30 days of making the request, said Mamabolo.

Driver’s licence renewals in South Africa

The “request a slot” feature was detailed by Mamabolo in an interview with eNCA, which was reported on by MyBroadband.

Mamabolo said the current licence renewal system is inefficient and corrupt, and that the Gauteng government is “fighting one of the most highly-organised criminal syndicates” to restore the smooth operation of DLTCs in the province.

He noted that 40 DLTCs in Gauteng are currently under investigation for corruption, and that if the municipalities are unwilling to act on evidence, the Gauteng provincial government may revoke their powers to operate a DLTC.

The interview with Mamabolo follows an announcement made by Transport Minister Fikile Mbalula, in which he extended the grace period for drivers whose licences expired between 26 March 2020 and 31 August 2021.

The validity period of these driver’s licences was extended to 31 March 2022.