Transport Minister Fikile Mbalula says there are 1.3 million expired driving licence cards that are yet to be renewed in South Africa.
Mbalula was briefing the media at the Grasmere Toll plaza, south of Johannesburg, on Thursday.
There is only one week left before the final deadline for the extended grace period for the renewal of driving licence cards that expired between March 2020 and August 2021.
Mbalula says, “There are currently 1.3 million expired driving licence cards, yet to be renewed. To deal with this, hours at DLTCs (Driver License Testing Centres) will be extended, including operating on Saturdays and Sundays, until the 31st of May. Walk-ins will be allowed meaning motorists showing up at DLTCs to renew their licences will not be turned away for not booking online.”
As on 27 April 2022, we had produced a total of seven hundred and eighty-nine thousand six hundred 789,600 driving licence cards.
This leaves a backlog of cards to be printed at five hundred and ninety-six thousand five hundred and thirteen 596,513. https://t.co/VH5ACXkzYs pic.twitter.com/il4nA0mYUc
— FIKILE MBALULA | MR FIX (@MbalulaFikile) April 28, 2022
Easter weekend fatalities on South African roads
Mbalula says 162 people died on the country’s roads over the Easter period. Mbalula says this is a decline compared to the 235 recorded last year.
Mbalula says the number of crashes over Easter declined by over 28% resulting in a 31.5% reduction in the number of fatalities on the roads.
He says, all provinces recorded a decline except for the Western Cape and Mpumalanga. The absence of the ZCC pilgrimage, driver behaviour due to the rainy weather conditions and high police visibility are among the contributing factors.
I also convey a word of gratitude and appreciation to all law enforcement officers, who worked long hours, sacrificing family time, to help us save lives on South Africa’s roads.
The success we have achieved this Easter will add momentum to our efforts to reduce road fatalities pic.twitter.com/Xmk3BPQIZZ
— FIKILE MBALULA | MR FIX (@MbalulaFikile) April 28, 2022
As on 27 April 2022, we had produced a total of seven hundred and eighty-nine thousand six hundred 789,600 driving licence cards.
This leaves a backlog of cards to be printed at five hundred and ninety-six thousand five hundred and thirteen 596,513. pic.twitter.com/xn16cPcPnG
— FIKILE MBALULA | MR FIX (@MbalulaFikile) April 28, 2022
Minister of Transport @MbalulaFikile is currently releasing the Easter weekend road safety fatality statistics and is expected to provide updates on driver licence extension of grace period #ArriveAlive pic.twitter.com/bkpIaFiONb
— @SAgovnews (@SAgovnews) April 28, 2022