Cape Town – South Africa’s sole driving licence printing machine has been sent to Germany for repairs, Minister of Transport Fikile April Mbalula said this week, according to reports.
South Africa has been using the machine since the late 1990s, Wheels24 reported.
It has been out of service since November last year, the report said.
This has caused a massive printing backlog, resulting in approximately half a million South African motorists having expired driving licence cards, according to BusinessTech.
Mbalula, on the other hand, has said that he will soon announce temporary measures.
He also revealed recently that his department intended to implement a new driver’s licence card.
A proposal, however, has yet to be submitted to Cabinet.
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Speaking to eNCA Mbalula said: “The licence machine is in Germany, it has broken. I am going to be announcing temporary measures with regards to temporary licences but I am moving ahead with the new driver’s licence cards which I will announce in public, the only hurdle with that is the Cabinet.
“The machine is being fixed in Germany by the Germans, they are looking into it. we have been affected also because of the festive season in Germany, people were not at work…but as soon as, like now in January they fix that which probably approximately will take about a month or so… we are among the 13 countries that still had that machine…”.
Motorists have taken to social media to voice out their displeasure, saying that the machine should have been replaced a long time ago.
However, some tweeps were shocked that the country used only one machine to print the licences.
See some of the reactions below:
You’re still not telling me when I can get my licence..
— Cookoo (@Cookoo98239664) January 13, 2022
Will your new card be ready for the deadline set for the 30th March or will that be extended again????
— Raymond Alexander™ (@rayale26) January 12, 2022
Chief … after all these years you still talk without thinking … no Bhuti it’s time for leadership and action … this revolutionary approach to problems need to be changed now … YES NOW!!! we the people demand results driven leadership.
— Owen Wentzel (@OWentzel) January 12, 2022
So what’s the point of fixing the old thing if you have already made plans for a new machine which is just waiting for parliament approval
— Sako_Afrika (@Sako_za) January 12, 2022
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Compiled by Sinothando Siyolo
