The Organisation Undoing Tax Abuse (OUTA) is demanding answers from Minister Barbara Creecy regarding the Department of Transport’s (DoT) plans for South Africa’s new driver’s licence cards, amid growing concerns over transparency and procurement irregularities.

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Despite the Auditor-General of South Africa (AGSA) raising serious red flags about the tender process, it appears the DoT is moving forward with its decision to implement new driver’s licence cards. The controversial tender, awarded in August 2024 to French company Idemia Identity and Security, has been surrounded by scrutiny from the start.

Auditor-General Exposes Major Irregularities

AGSA’s investigation into the tender, prompted by the Minister of Transport herself, exposed multiple issues. All submitted bids significantly exceeded the original budget of R486.385 million, and the bid criteria were reportedly vague, leading to inconsistent evaluation methods. Notably, the Driving Licence Card Account (DLCA), the body tasked with producing the licence cards, mistakenly assessed the wrong printing machine during its evaluation visit to France.

AGSA recommended that the tender be scrapped entirely. In response, Minister Creecy announced that she would seek guidance from the High Court. However, according to OUTA Executive Director Advocate Stefanie Fick, no such legal application was ever filed.

Internal Warnings and Silence from the Department

Internal opposition reportedly followed, with the DoT’s legal team and the Director-General cautioning against cancelling the Idemia contract. Since then, no clear public updates have been provided about the contract’s status, fueling speculation that the department is continuing with the project behind closed doors.

New Tender Raises More Questions

Fick emphasized the lack of communication and transparency, pointing to a separate tender issued on 10 March 2025—not for a new printing machine, but for reviewing and restructuring the driver’s licence cost model. The tender document curiously notes that a service provider for a new licence card production machine has already been appointed—suggesting that the Idemia contract may still be in effect.

Strategic Documents Reveal Department’s Intentions

Furthermore, the DLCA’s 2025/26 Annual Performance Plan (APP) and its 2025–2030 strategic plan, tabled in Parliament in April, indicate that the rollout of the new driver’s licence card remains a top priority. The documents highlight persistent challenges, including outdated infrastructure, leadership instability, and financial shortfalls due to unchanged tariffs since 2014.

Operational Challenges and Ongoing Delays

The strategic plan also points to the need for new premises to accommodate the infrastructure tied to the new card system, and outlines several operational risks, such as equipment breakdowns, lack of spare parts, and insufficient technical expertise. Despite referencing delays in the card rollout, the documents state that all project milestones for both the physical and digital driving licence card will be implemented.

OUTA Demands Transparency

Fick questioned whether the DLCA had entered a contract it couldn’t afford or intended to continue with Idemia despite AGSA’s findings. She warned that without a clear, public explanation, the public would remain in the dark on a project that directly affects millions of South African drivers.

OUTA is now urging Minister Creecy to break the silence and clarify whether the department is pushing forward with the Idemia contract, what happened to the promised legal review, and how the department intends to resolve the glaring issues flagged by the Auditor-General.