Licence crackdown sparks outcry

2003-11-26 07:00

Deon de Lange

Johannesburg - The Gauteng MEC for transport's decision to stop all testing centres from accepting bookings for learner's and driver's licence tests has unleashed a storm of criticism.

On Tuesday, Beeld newspaper reported Khabisi Msonkutu's decision. According to him, it was an attempt to stamp out corruption at the 26 centres in the province.

He also said a new phone-in system would soon be launched.

Max Boulogne, the manager of Professional Driver Academy, which has a contract with the department of labour to train its heavy-vehicle drivers, said a bureaucratic decision had pulled the plug on everything.

"Today (Tuesday), I had to cancel R5 600 worth of training.

"The students are furious, especially as they were looking forward to work opportunities that such a professional qualification would have offered them," he said.

Manny de Freitas, the DA spokesperson for transport, said: "The MEC's decision is unreasonable and counter-productive."

Other centres flooded

Test centres in other provinces have also voiced their concern.

Ronel Potgieter of Sasolburg test centre in the Free State said they had been swamped with calls from Gautengers asking about bookings.

Tswane is the only municipality in Gauteng that can still take bookings, but it is concerned about the impact this will have on its system.

Sizwe Matshikiza, spokesperson for the MEC of transport, said Tshwane's system would be the one used throughout the province from next year.

"The phone-in system should be up and running by January. By then, we will have caught up on the backlog and be ready to implement a new system."

People who need to renew their licences during this time and people who have existing bookings for learner's licence and driver's licence tests will not be affected by the MEC's decision.

- Beeld