Positive Update for Driving Licence Holders in South Africa

South African motorists who have been anxiously waiting for their driving licence cards have received some encouraging news, as the severe backlog of applications has been brought down significantly in recent months. Despite this progress, doubts remain among members of the public and civil groups who question whether the long-standing issues are truly on the road to being resolved.

Key Takeaways

• Backlog significantly reduced: The number of outstanding driving licence cards dropped from over 756,000 in May to around 336,000 by mid-September, with full clearance expected by December.
• Interim printing solution underway: Government Printing Works is set to provide backup capacity from October, reducing reliance on the ageing, failure-prone machine.
• Public trust remains fragile: Past failures such as e-tolls and TV licences show that if government systems are unreliable, motorists may resort to non-compliance, risking another collapse in credibility.

Backlog Finally Reduced After Months of Delays

According to the Department of Transport’s spokesperson, Collen Msibi, the number of pending licence cards has been cut by more than half in the space of just four months. In May there were over 756,000 outstanding cards, but by the middle of September that figure had fallen to around 336,000. This marks a substantial improvement, although hundreds of thousands of motorists are still waiting.

The problem first intensified in February when the country’s sole licence card printing machine experienced a critical breakdown. This machine, which has been in service for more than a quarter of a century, has developed a reputation for unreliability, having failed over 160 times during its operational life.

Its collapse earlier this year left the Driving Licence Card Authority (DLCA) with no means of keeping up with demand, forcing motorists to endure lengthy delays. By the time the machine was repaired and returned to service in early May, the backlog had already ballooned to over three-quarters of a million cards.

Since its restoration, the DLCA has been operating continuously in 24-hour shifts to reduce the mountain of unprocessed cards. Msibi explained that the organisation’s immediate goal is to bring the backlog to a more manageable level before the end of the year. Based on the current rate of production, officials believe that all outstanding applications will be finalised by December, which would provide long-overdue relief for motorists still in limbo. If this timetable is maintained, the resolution could arrive in time for Christmas, offering a welcome reprieve for thousands of drivers.

Concerns from Civil Groups and Historical Warnings

Despite these developments, scepticism persists. Civil rights organisation AfriForum has warned that the current measures may not be enough to avert another breakdown in the system. The group expressed concern that if licence renewals continue to be obstructed by bureaucratic or technical hurdles, drivers may begin resisting the process altogether.

AfriForum campaign officer Louis Boshoff pointed out that history has shown how public frustration can give rise to widespread non-compliance when government requirements are perceived as unfair or impractical. He highlighted that motorists could become unwilling to follow renewal rules if access to a valid licence card is made unnecessarily complicated.

Boshoff drew comparisons with two recent government schemes that collapsed under the weight of public resistance: the e-toll programme and the South African Broadcasting Corporation’s television licence system. Both initiatives eventually failed because citizens increasingly refused to cooperate.

The SABC’s TV licence scheme effectively disintegrated due to mass non-payment. By the 2023/24 financial year, deliberate avoidance had reached 86 percent, with only 14 percent of licence holders still paying their fees. This resulted in the broadcaster losing around R4.3 billion in a single year, and many households that should have applied for licences never did so. The organisation is now awaiting a replacement funding model as the existing system has become unworkable.

The fate of e-tolls followed a similar trajectory. Introduced in 2013 to recover costs for Gauteng’s freeway upgrades, the scheme was met with widespread rejection. Motorists refused en masse to pay their fees, with their resistance bolstered by campaigns led by the Organisation Undoing Tax Abuse (Outa). After years of defiance, the system was officially terminated in April 2024, cementing its failure as a public policy.

The comparisons serve as a cautionary reminder. While progress is visible in the reduction of the backlog and the promise of new printing arrangements, the government must demonstrate consistency and reliability if it is to avoid a similar collapse in public trust around driving licences.

Keeping your driving licence up to date is not only a legal requirement but also essential for insurance claims. Many insurers may reject a claim if the driver was operating a vehicle without a valid licence card, even if the receipt for renewal is available. Motorists are encouraged to always carry supporting documents to protect themselves.

Conclusion

The progress in reducing the driving licence backlog offers South Africans a glimpse of relief after months of frustration, with the Department of Transport aiming to clear all outstanding cards by December and an interim printing solution set to provide backup capacity from October. However, the long-term success of these measures will depend on consistent delivery and transparency, as public trust remains fragile following past policy failures like e-tolls and TV licences. For motorists, staying proactive with early renewals and keeping proof of application on hand will remain essential until the system demonstrates it can reliably meet demand without repeated crises.