South Africans have been warned that they will face fines if they cannot produce a licence when police stop them.
For those impacted by the licence backlog and application delays, valid proof must be provided in place of the licence.
This is according to the City of Cape Town, which recently conducted an operation in its CBD that led to a record 164 transgressions, 54 of which were due to motorists being unable to provide a driver’s licence.
Based on this, the city has warned all motorists to keep their licences with them, as those found without their licences will be fined R500.
Digital images or photocopies are also not considered valid alternatives.
In the case of a lost or stolen card, drivers should keep proof of the application for the new licence on hand.
This also applies to those who have applied for a licence but have not yet received it due to the backlog.
A valid temporary licence is also acceptable alongside proof of the application.
Cape Town MMC for Safety JP Smith noted that it was alarming to see how many people are on the roads without valid licences or proof of a valid one.
“It might seem of little consequence, but the fact is, officers are duty-bound to enforce the law,” he said.
“Presentation of that driving licence card is the only way to prove that you are behind the wheel legally.”
Smith also said the city is facing massive challenges with drivers who pose a threat to themselves and each other.
Licence delays
This warning has come as South Africans continue to struggle with the backlog in licence card applications due to the frequent breakdowns of the card printing machine.
During a parliamentary Q&A in June, the Transport Department revealed that the card backlog was sitting at 733,000 cards.
This was down 14,500 cards since the start of May as the card printing machine returned to service after a breakdown in February.
Under ideal circumstances, it would take around 40 to 53 days to fully clear the backlog, as the printer can only produce between 14,000 and 19,000 cards during a 14-hour shift.
This also assumes the printer remains operational for this full period and does not account for new applications coming in.
South Africa’s card printing machine has been operating for 26 years and has suffered 160 separate breakdowns due to being used well past its recommended usage period.
Efforts to secure a new machine have also been met with difficulties and are currently in limbo pending a declaratory order for the courts.
In the interim of this order, the Transport Department has asked the Department of Home Affairs’ Government Printing Works (GPW) for assistance.
The GPW is well-experienced with the printing of essential documents, as it also helps print items such as visas, birth certificates, and passports.
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