Driver’s licence headache for South Africa

South Africa is currently facing a severe driver’s licence card backlog, and it’s unclear when the situation will be resolved.

The issue was recently highlighted by Transport Minister Barbara Creecy, who spoke about her concerns regarding the backlog, stating that the Department of Transport (DoT) is trying to enhance maintenance and “resume printing,” implying that the card machine is currently out of order.

This is in addition to two other crises plaguing the department, including a possible strike and a controversial tender appointment.

One problem after another

Creecy recently spoke with Newzroom Afrika, where she talked about the licence card backlog and the measures the DoT is taking to solve the issue.

“I’m very concerned that we have an existing backlog, and to deal with that backlog, we’re giving temporary cards,” she said.

This is not the first time that the department has suffered a licence backlog, as the country is reliant on a single dated printer that is more than 25 years old and has broken down numerous times in the past.

“It’s common knowledge that the existing machine is very old. We are trying to enhance maintenance efforts so that it can resume printing, but I have also requested the acting director general to look at interim solutions,” explained Creecy.

The DoT has not officially confirmed whether the printer has broken down again.

However, given the machine’s poor performance record and the minister’s comments, it’s likely that the printer’s unreliability is at least one of the contributors towards the current backlog.

It is not the only problem, though, as the DoT is currently facing a potential strike that could delay the production of new cards even further.

In early March, workers at the Driving Licence Card Account (DLCA) threatened to down tools while they continue to fight for permanent job posts and full benefits from the DoT.

The workers claimed that they were promised permanent employment nearly a decade ago, but that this has still not come to pass.

DoT spokesperson Collen Msibi said the department is investigating a resolution, but that it cannot afford a protest that will shut down its operations, describing the situation as a crisis.

Members of the DLCA, meanwhile, have threatened to stop working until their demands are met, effectively halting the circulation of new licences.

“The South African public will not receive any licence cards, and we definitely don’t want to do that,” an anonymous worker said.

According to Msibi, the DoT is limited in its ability to appoint permanent positions, which has significantly delayed the process.

“There is an HR workstream which has been put in place and is working together with what we call the organisational development of the department,” he said.

The current plan is to establish a framework for DLCA workers to be turned into permanent employees through the Public Service Act.

Lastly, there’s the ongoing controversy regarding the appointment of South Africa’s new licence card printer tender.

The tender was awarded to the French company Idemia in August 2024, but was quickly flagged by civil action groups for several alleged irregularities in the selection process.

These concerns prompted Creecy to appoint the Auditor-General of South Africa (AGSA) to investigate the matter, which revealed its findings earlier this month.

The AGSA confirmed that numerous irregularities occurred during the tender process, such as inconsistent bid criteria for the applicants, ambiguous bid specifications that required discretion from the selection committee, and a budget cap that was erroneously calculated.

Consequently, the contract is now in a state of limbo as the DoT waits upon the courts to tell it how to proceed.

No money has been spent on the tender thus far, as the Public Finance Management Act makes it an offence to authorise a project where the AGSA has found an area of concern.

However, if the department cancels it entirely, it will need to pay a cancellation penalty to Idemia, creating a difficult situation with no clear route forward.

Creecy has approached the High Court to provide clarity on how the DoT should proceed, but until this matter is resolved, South Africa will still be reliant on a single ageing printer to print thousands of new licences to relieve the current backlog.