LICENCE CARDS TRAFFIC JAM

MENSE who applied for the renewal of their drivers licence cards maande gelede will have to wag langer to get their new cards.

This comes as Transport Minister Barbara Creecy said the backlog of driving licences as of 15 May was estimated at 733 000 cards.

The backlog came when Mzansi’s enigste drivers licence card printing machine broke down earlier this year.

While the Department of Transport announced earlier last month that the printing machine was fixed and operations have resumed after the machine pakked op up on 5 February, the backlog still stands at more than 700 000 unprinted cards.

To cut the backlog, the Department of Transport’s Driving Licence Card Agency extended the working hours of its staff members.

In response to parliamentary questions from Rise Mzansi leader Songezo Zibi, Creecy revealed the machine was kapoet for 38 working days.

She added that repairs and maintenance costs for the current financial year were R624 988 to date.

About progress made with the process to get a new machine, the ministry’s response said: “The Minister has directed that a declaratory order be sought from a competent court on the tender to acquire a new machine, in order to ensure that no further irregular expenditure occurs.”

The ministry’s tender process has a complicated history after one – launched in November 2022 – failed to find a suitable service provider after the Auditor-General found holes in the appointment process.