South Africans waiting to receive their new driving licence card could be in for a longer wait than expected as workers at the Driving License Card Account (DLCA) threaten to down tools.
The DLCA is an entity under the Department of Transport (DoT) tasked with the production and provision of the country’s licence cards.
According to an eNCA report, staff at the DLCA are currently employed on contract but are demanding to be instated on a permanent basis and to receive the benefits that goes along with a full-time role.
They fear that when they leave the DLCA, whether it be of their own accord or if they are let go, they will be left with no retirement funds or unemployment insurance (UIF) to keep them alive.
The employees have allegedly been at loggerheads with the DoT for the better part of a decade on this matter, and are now threatening to go on strike should their demands not be met.
“There are staff members that left, went home on retirement and got nothing. No UIF, nothing, I don’t think that’s fair,” one contract worker told eNCA.
“We fear losing our jobs and livelihoods,” said another.
“I have colleagues that are reaching pension age now and they are in a scary situation where they will go home and not get anything.”
Department of Transport taking action
DoT spokesperson Collen Msibi confirmed that the Department has heard the cries of the DLCA workers and is busy finding a workable solution.
“We’ve got to ensure that we follow the Public Service Act in terms of how we do things,” said Msibi.
“There’s an HR workstream which have been put in place, which is working together with what we call the organisational development of the Department, so their purpose is really to establish a structure where these employees can be absorbed in line with the Public Service Act.”
Msibi said that DLCA workers downing tools would be a “crisis” that the DoT would like to avoid, so the process to find positions for these individuals is being expedited.
The possible strike action comes after Transport Minister Barbara Creecy vowed to enhance maintenance efforts on the country’s sole licence card printing machine so that it can keep operating at capacity for the foreseeable future.
Earlier this week, an Auditor-General report found irregularities in the tender awarding process of the country’s new driving licence cards, effectively stopping the rollout dead in its tracks.
The DoT subsequently launched a High Court application for a clarity order on how to proceed with the contract.
In the meantime, the country’s current licence cards are still being produced by a single machine that has been in duty for over 20 years and is prone to breaking down, leading to frequent backlogs in licence renewals.
Creecy said that motorists who are affected by the current backlog will be receiving temporary licences shortly, and that to avoid future backlogs, the DLCA will enhance maintenance efforts on the printer.
Loading ...
