This is why South Africa’s new driver’s licence card delayed

South Africa’s transport minister Fikile Mbalula has announced that the country’s new driving licence card is expected to launch a year later than planned. A Driving Licence Card Account (DLCA) tender to upgrade South Africa’s driving licence system had set an October 2022 launch deadline, but Mbalula said he expects the new system to be piloted in October 2023.

The launch of the new licence cards will be subject to Cabinet approval, after which the Department of Transport will undergo a procurement process.

During his address on Thursday, 3 February 2022, Mbalula said the new card would feature several security improvements allowing it to be used as an alternative form of identification. Banks do not currently accept driving licences as a form of ID, partly because your full name is not printed on the card.

Mbalula said that the current driver’s licence card would be phased out over five years. He added that the Road Traffic Management Corporation was looking into extending South Africa’s licence card renewal period from five to ten years.

The extension of the validity period is something that the Organisation Undoing Tax Abuse (Outa) had suggested as a solution to the current backlog. This would alleviate the current backlog overnight,” Wayne Duvenage, CEO at Outa, said.

Source: eNCA

In other news – Pearl Thusi is up for Valentine’s Day date with Mr Smeg?

Local actress Pearl Thusi could be spending her Valentine’s Day with social media personality Michael Bucwa aka Mr Smeg.

Thusi had such a great time with the Twitter influencer and entrepreneur that she is even open to a second date with him. Thusi in response to a fan said that she “wouldn’t mind” going on a second date with Mr Smeg on February 14, which is Valentine’s Day. Learn more