AfriForum continues with court case regarding renewal of driver’s licences

Fikile Mbalula, the Minister of Transport, today made a number of announcements in relation to driving license cards. Firstly, he informed the public that the cabinet has approved the replacement of the current driver’s license cards. According to Mbalula, the current design of the license cards is outdated and needs to be adapted to meet global standards. AfriForum has its reservations about the implementation of new driving license cards, as the Department of Transport does not have a good record when it comes to the implementation of new systems. An example of this, is that the NaTIS system still does not function properly 15 years after put into effect. Secondly, Mbalula also said that he will ask the cabinet to implement a renewal period of between eight and ten years.

“This extension that the minister of the cabinet is going to ask for, does not address the legal gap that AfriForum has identified with its legal action. AfriForum’s legal action requests that the renewal period of license cards be reviewed and scrapped, as we argue that the road traffic law stipulates that driving licenses are valid indefinitely. We therefore continue with our legal action to obtain a declaratory order that the legislation prescribing the five-year renewal period for driver’s license cards is unreasonable, arbitrary and vague, as well as that motorists may not be punished if they drive with unrenewed driver’s license cards,” says Reiner Duvenage, Campaign Officer for Strategy and Content at AfriForum.