News In Brief

Delayed Launch for South Africa’s New Driving Licence

South Africa’s new driving licence cards will not launch by the end of March 2024, as former Transport Minister Fikile Mbalula first announced.

The current Transport Minister, Sindisiwe Chikunga, recently informed the press that the Driving Licence Card Account (DLCA) – the department responsible for providing the new cards – is still in the process of procuring the printer necessary for producing them. Over the past few years, the department has advertised, and then subsequently withdrawn tenders for the printer, on multiple occasions. Chikunga stated that the tender ‘should’ be finalised before the end of the 2023 financial year, which concludes on 31 March 2024.

Various issues have contributed to delays in the printer’s tender, according to Chikunga, including the complexity of the bid and the requirement for a compulsory site inspection as part of due diligence. And even after the printer has been commissioned, a trial period may be necessary to ensure the printer functions correctly and produces cards of good quality.