Million still without new licence

2003-04-22 16:15

Cape Town - There are still more than one million drivers who have not converted to the new credit-card style drivers' licence, with a trickle of only about 5 000 a day seeking conversion.

According to government information agency BuaNews, transport department official Lisa Mangcu said there was no sign of an increase in the number of conversions despite the looming deadline of April 30.

Last week acting Transport Minister Jeff Radebe ruled out a further delay in implementation of the credit card system.

It was delayed from the end of February when it was clear that well over a million drivers had not converted from the old identity document licence form - which will be invalid from May 1.

Mangcu noted that there were only about 5 000 licence conversions taking place countrywide at licensing stations.

"If motorists do not convert within the period before the deadline, they will have to forfeit their right to drive," Mangcu told BuaNews.

The department had started running advertisements in the media and would also issue reminders to those who might have forgotten about the deadline.

The department announced earlier this month that some licensing offices in identified problem areas in Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal and the Western Cape would open on weekends to accommodate those who wanted to convert their licences.

The department introduced the credit card format in March 1998 to be implemented over a five-year period. It is expected that 6.5 million drivers will have to apply for the conversion process every five years.

The department said the system would allow for the introduction of a far more effective traffic policing and management system through the recording of de-merits for offending drivers.

- I-Net Bridge (Business)