Advert
Advert – scroll down
Displaying the 15 latest comments.
Submitted | first-name | one | two | three | additional | message |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2026-08-19 15:39:08 +02:00 | Leon | Yes I do | Yes I do | It should remain valid until the new card is produced | ||
2026-08-19 15:35:47 +02:00 | Jacobus Marthinus | Yes I do | Yes I do | It should remain valid until the new card is produced | Digital / Mobile Driving Licences (mDL) via smart app, Direct courier/post delivery of renewed cards to home/work, Integration of independent optometrist eye test submissions, Decentralised printing machines across provinces to eliminate single-point-of-failure risk | Hope for the best |
2026-08-19 15:34:15 +02:00 | Leizle | Yes I do | Yes I do | It should remain valid until the new card is produced | Direct courier/post delivery of renewed cards to home/work, Integration of independent optometrist eye test submissions, Decentralised printing machines across provinces to eliminate single-point-of-failure risk | |
2026-08-19 15:31:07 +02:00 | Chris | Yes I do | Yes I do | No, it should be at least 6 months | ||
2026-08-19 15:26:17 +02:00 | Nikki | Not fully | Yes I do | It should remain valid until the new card is produced | Digital / Mobile Driving Licences (mDL) via smart app, Direct courier/post delivery of renewed cards to home/work, Integration of independent optometrist eye test submissions, Decentralised printing machines across provinces to eliminate single-point-of-failure risk | Something else that I think nerds to be considered, is age. 65+ers, should absolutely not have drivers licences that are valid for 10 years! And after 70, drivers licences should only be valid for 2 or 3 years. Considering how quickly my eyesight deteriorated after 45, I'm very sceptical of having a drivers license valid for more than 6 years. Perhaps a drivers livence can be valid for longer, but eye tests need to be submitted every 2 or 3 years to keep validity? |
2026-08-19 15:24:41 +02:00 | Wynand | Yes I do | Yes I do | It should remain valid until the new card is produced | Direct courier/post delivery of renewed cards to home/work, Integration of independent optometrist eye test submissions, Decentralised printing machines across provinces to eliminate single-point-of-failure risk | |
2026-08-19 15:13:25 +02:00 | Kimberley-Jade | Yes I do | Yes I do | Yes | Digital / Mobile Driving Licences (mDL) via smart app, Direct courier/post delivery of renewed cards to home/work, Decentralised printing machines across provinces to eliminate single-point-of-failure risk | |
2026-08-19 15:06:21 +02:00 | Bill | Yes I do | Yes I do | No, it should be at least 6 months | ||
2026-08-19 14:51:00 +02:00 | Joha | Yes I do | Yes I do | It should remain valid until the new card is produced | Digital / Mobile Driving Licences (mDL) via smart app, Direct courier/post delivery of renewed cards to home/work, Integration of independent optometrist eye test submissions, Decentralised printing machines across provinces to eliminate single-point-of-failure risk | The 5 year card should immediately be transferred to the 10 year system. |
2026-08-19 14:18:48 +02:00 | Karen | Yes I do | Yes I do | It should remain valid until the new card is produced | ||
2026-08-19 14:16:48 +02:00 | Connie | Not fully | Not fully | It should remain valid until the new card is produced | Decentralised printing machines across provinces to eliminate single-point-of-failure risk | All the driving license holders should be treated equally,the validity of licenses should be 10yrs for everyone |
2026-08-19 13:59:35 +02:00 | Margaret | Yes I do | Yes I do | It should remain valid until the new card is produced | Direct courier/post delivery of renewed cards to home/work, Integration of independent optometrist eye test submissions, Decentralised printing machines across provinces to eliminate single-point-of-failure risk | |
2026-08-19 13:52:57 +02:00 | jeanette | No I do not | Not fully | It should remain valid until the new card is produced | The regulations concerning extending the validity of driving licences cards from 5 to 10 years is discriminating and excluding the older person: 1) The digital and internet proficiency and access required excludes the poor and elderly. | |
2026-08-19 13:28:15 +02:00 | Beverly | Yes I do | Yes I do | It should remain valid until the new card is produced | Direct courier/post delivery of renewed cards to home/work, Integration of independent optometrist eye test submissions | |
2026-08-19 13:27:31 +02:00 | Florence | Yes I do | Yes I do | Yes | Digital / Mobile Driving Licences (mDL) via smart app, Direct courier/post delivery of renewed cards to home/work, Integration of independent optometrist eye test submissions, Decentralised printing machines across provinces to eliminate single-point-of-failure risk |
-
- Eliminates Unnecessary Bureaucracy and Queue Fatigue
- DLTCs across South Africa are notoriously overwhelmed by routine five-year renewals. Doubling card validity to 10 years cuts administrative traffic by roughly 50%, freeing up testing centres to focus on new driver testing, professional permits, and core road safety enforcement.
- Direct Financial & Productivity Savings for Motorists
- Motorists only have to pay renewal fees, take time off work, and sit in administrative queues once every ten years instead of twice. For working families and small business owners, this translates directly into saved hours and reduced transport costs.
- Alignment with International Best Practice
- A 5-year validity period is an outlier internationally. Most developed economies—including the UK, European Union member states, Australia, and New Zealand—issue driving licence cards valid for 10 to 15 years (or until age 70) without compromising road safety.
- Legal Separation of the “Card” from the “Right to Drive”
- By explicitly stating in Regulation 101(2) that a driving licence is permanent unless cancelled or suspended, the law finally protects motorists from being treated as criminal “unlicensed drivers” simply because an administrative plastic card has lapsed.
- Polycarbonate Durability & Corruption Reduction
- Modern polycarbonate card materials are technically rated to last over a decade without delamination or fading. Furthermore, halving the renewal volume substantially disrupts the black market for corrupt online booking “slot selling” and DLTC bribery syndicates.
- Eliminates Unnecessary Bureaucracy and Queue Fatigue
-
- The 3-Month Grace Period Trap (Regulation 108(7))
- The proposed 3-month cap on grace periods while waiting for a renewed card is completely detached from the reality of state backlogs. If the national card production machine breaks down or distribution stalls beyond 90 days, law-abiding motorists who applied on time will become technically illegal on the road and face roadside harassment, traffic fines, and potential insurance claim rejections.
- Road Safety & Deteriorating Visual Acuity
- Ten years is a long window during which a driver’s eyesight, medical condition, or physical fitness can significantly deteriorate. Without mandatory interim optical assessments or the integration of private optometrists into the eNaTIS system, unchecked visual impairment could increase nighttime accidents and road fatalities.
- Risk of Exploitative Fee Hikes (The “Revenue Trap”)
- Renewal fees are a major revenue stream for the RTMC and local municipalities. Critics warn that authorities will attempt to compensate for halving transaction volumes by doubling or tripling the fee for a 10-year card, erasing the promised financial relief.
- Unfair Double Standard for Heavy Vehicles (Codes C & EC)
- Commercial and heavy vehicle drivers are still restricted to 5-year cards under Regulation 108(5)(a)(ii). Since commercial drivers already undergo strict medical, eyesight, and criminal background checks every 2 years for their Professional Driving Permit (PrDP), forcing a separate 5-year card renewal adds redundant red tape to the freight and logistics industry.
- A Missed Opportunity for True Digital Modernisation
- Simply printing a longer-lasting card fails to modernise the system. Opponents argue the Department should have paired this change with Digital Mobile Driving Licences (mDL) on smartphones, direct courier delivery to homes/workplaces, and decentralised provincial printing hubs to permanently remove the single-point-of-failure risk.
- The 3-Month Grace Period Trap (Regulation 108(7))