Neelam Rahim | neelam@radioislam.co.za
3-minute read
10 June 2025 | 09:00 CAT

South Africa’s only driver’s licence card machine has broken down again, adding to a mounting backlog of over 733,000 cards. Calls for accountability and reform grow louder as motorists bear the brunt of government inefficiency.

A fresh wave of frustration is sweeping across the country as South Africa’s only driving license card printing machine has once again broken down-triggering a backlog of over 733,000 cards. The Department of Transport has spent R11.5 million on repairs since 2022, with an additional R4.4 million in staff overtime.

Transport Minister Barbara Creecy has now approached the courts for a declaratory order related to the long-disputed tender for a new machine. This, according to the Organisation Undoing Tax Abuse (OUTA), is too little, too late.

“This machine was first used in 1998,” noted Advocate Stephanie Fick, Executive Director of OUTA’s Public Governance Division. “Even the technology is outdated-our licenses don’t meet international standards and can’t be used as proof of identity.”

In an interview with Radio Islam International, Fick expressed outrage over the situation, saying the department should have anticipated the breakdown. “They should have had motorists’ best interests at heart and thought ahead,” she said. “Why should law-abiding citizens bear the brunt of poor governance?”

Motorists are currently forced to pay for temporary licenses, some of which expire before their permanent cards are ready. Fick slammed this as unfair: “The problem was created by the department. Why should the public pay for its failures?”

OUTA is now considering a legal challenge to protect motorists. “Maybe it’s time the minister declares that if you’ve applied for renewal, you won’t be penalised-even if your temporary license has expired,” Fick suggested.

The breakdown doesn’t just inconvenience drivers- it adds pressure to South Africa’s already clogged court system. As Fick pointed out, “This backlog could lead to hundreds of avoidable traffic cases.”

Adding to the scandal is the murky history of the machine’s replacement. “The tender was advertised, withdrawn, then readvertised-each time with new rules and an increased cost,” Fick said. “If it’s not transparent, you have to ask: is it corruption?”

With civil society demanding reform, OUTA is pushing for license validity to be extended from five to ten years. “Even the government’s own research suggests eight years is reasonable,” said Fick. “But if it’s about money, that’s deplorable-government should not profit from citizens.”

As South Africans wait in bureaucratic limbo, one thing is clear: the system is broken and it’s the public paying the price.

Listen to the full interview on The Daily Round-Up with Annisa Essack and Advocate Stephanie Fick.