The Organisation Undoing Tax Abuse (Outa) has called on South Africa’s Minister of Transport, Barbara Creecy, to halt all fines for motorists unable to produce renewed driver’s licence cards due to a massive printing backlog. This follows the second breakdown of the country’s only driver’s licence card printer earlier this year, which left nearly 690,000 renewal applications in limbo.

Contents

Calls for Immediate Relief for Affected Drivers

Outa’s executive director of accountability, Advocate Stefanie Fick, has formally written to Minister Creecy, urging the Department of Transport to introduce immediate relief measures. These include:

A moratorium on fines for expired driver’s licence cards where motorists have already applied for renewal.
A waiver on the requirement for temporary licences until the backlog is cleared.
Nationwide public communication of this temporary policy using official channels, including the RTMC, provincial traffic offices, and media platforms.
Clear instructions to traffic enforcement officers to prevent unjust penalties or harassment of compliant motorists.

Fick stressed that punishing drivers who have complied with the renewal process but are still waiting for their cards is unjust and creates unnecessary stress for law-abiding citizens.

Systemic Failures Blamed for Delays

The backlog stems from the failure of the country’s only licence card printing machine, which has now broken down twice. The Department of Transport confirmed last week that over 690,000 cards are pending due to the machine’s unreliability.

Outa has long raised concerns about the integrity of the procurement process behind the card machine replacement. In August last year, a new machine tender was awarded, but Outa’s investigation flagged severe irregularities. Minister Creecy subsequently handed the findings to the Auditor-General of South Africa (AGSA), whose probe confirmed the irregularities. A legal challenge to overturn the contract is now pending.

A Call for Long-Term Reform

Outa is also advocating for structural reforms to reduce future risks. Chief among its proposals is extending the validity period of driver’s licence cards from five to ten years. Fick argues that such a move would reduce pressure on the overwhelmed licensing system, cut operational costs, and bring South Africa in line with international norms.

She cited the example of the Covid-19 pandemic when the department implemented blanket extensions for expired licences, recognising the need for flexibility in exceptional circumstances.

“We are dealing with a crisis caused not by the public but by a broken system. During the pandemic, the department showed compassion and common sense by extending validity periods. We believe the same fairness should be applied now,” said Fick.

Public Frustration Grows

Fick’s letter highlighted rising public anger over being penalised for administrative failures beyond their control. Many motorists are being stopped and fined despite holding proof of renewal applications or valid temporary permits.

“It’s unacceptable that law enforcement is punishing people who’ve done their part. The system needs to support citizens, not set them up for failure,” she said.

Outa is calling for urgent clarity from the department to protect motorists from further harm while the licence printing issue is being resolved. The organisation also continues to demand transparency and accountability in the licence card tender process.

Related: