Breather for 'special licences'

2003-09-03 08:28

Pretoria - Transport Minister Dullah Omar has introduced a bill to ease the conversion of certain categories of driver's licences to the new "credit-card" ones.

Addressing the national council of provinces about the National Traffic Amendment Bill, Omar made it clear the final deadline for the conversion of everyday licences had been April 30, and this had been final.

People who had not converted by that date would have to re-apply for learner's licences and redo the K53 driving test, he said.

However, during the conversion period it became clear there were certain categories of licence holders who needed special treatment, said Omar, and legislation did not provide adequately for this.

These licence holders were people who had been unable to apply for conversion of their licences before the deadline, such as those held in state institutions or those working or studying outside the country, he said.

Problems also arose with people who held licences from the former Transkei, Bophuthatswana, Venda and Ciskei, and had technical problems with the conversion process.

Omar said the bill would enable him to create a window period for these people to apply for conversion to the "credit-card" licences and would enable him to set new deadlines for them.

- SAPA