South Africa’s only driver’s licence card printing machine has broken down but is currently being repaired.
This news follows a recent announcement from the City of Cape Town that revealed that it has processed more than 60,000 driver’s licence applications this year but has yet to receive a single card from the Driver’s Licence Card Account (DLCA).
The DLCA is based in Pretoria, Gauteng, and is responsible for the manufacturing and distribution of all driver’s licence cards in the country.
The account did not initially state the reason for the lack of cards; however, the Department of Transport (DoT) has since confirmed to IOL that the machine is, in fact, undergoing repairs, which will hopefully be completed soon.
“The Department is exploring various interim solutions to sustain the operations of the current machine, given its age” said DoT spokesperson Collen Msibi.
Msibi also confirmed that the department is currently issuing temporary licenses to mitigate the effects of the growing backlog.
“The temporary licences are currently being issued,” he said.
Not the first time
South Africa only has a single, ageing licence card printer that has broken down several times over the past few years, resulting in major backlogs for new cards.
In March 2025, Transport Minister Barbara Creecy voiced her concerns over the current delays, stating that the DoT was trying to “resume printing,” suggesting that the printer was out of order.
These concerns manifested shortly thereafter when Cape Town revealed it had processed 60,000 driver’s licence and public driving permit applications so far this year but has yet to receive a single card from the DLCA.
“Not a single card has been received for those applications from the Driving Licence Card Account in Pretoria – a national entity that produces these driving licence cards for the whole country,” it said.
“It is our understanding that the machine used in the production of the cards broke down yet again – and since repairs can only happen abroad, it is anyone’s guess as to when the situation will be remedied.”
South Africa’s 25-year-old printer is one of the last of its kind anywhere in the world, which means getting it fixed is an expensive and time-consuming affair.
The country is supposed to receive a new printer in the near future, but this process has been delayed by ongoing controversy regarding irregularities that occurred with the tender appointment.
The irregularities were picked up by the Auditor-General after it was appointed by Creecy to investigate the matter last year, which flagged the following instances:
- The DLCA’s budget analysis, as part of the demand management process, was inadequate
- Bids not being evaluated according to the evaluation criteria as per the bid specifications
- Inconsistent application of scoring during the bid evaluation process
The AG, therefore, concluded that these were adequate grounds to have the existing tender cancelled and re-issued.
However, the DoT’s legal team has warned Creecy that cancelling the contract will have severe consequences, including a significant cancellation payout to the appointed company – Idemia.
It is also likely to set back the acquisition of South Africa’s long-awaited new printer even further, leading to a difficult state of affairs with no obvious solution.
For now, Cape Town officials recommend that motorists hold onto their expired licences for the time being while applying for a temporary licence, bearing in mind that the latter is only valid for six months from the time of issue.
Anyone found driving on a public road without a valid licence may be subject to a fine of R2,000 and three demerit points, as per the Administrative Adjudication of Road Traffic Offences Act.
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