4,911 comments delivered (closed 24 April 2023)
The Select Committee on Transport, Public Service and Administration, Public Works and Infrastructure invited the public to comment on the National Road Traffic Amendment Bill
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- The proposed laws initially sought to make wide-sweeping changes to South Africa’s road laws, including introducing a new provisional driving licence and reducing the allowable alcohol content in a driver’s bloodstream to zero. However, both of these changes were ultimately rejected.
- The bill is now more focused on tackling corruption at driving licence testing centres and clamping down on manufacturers of number plates.
Have your say – shape the outcome. [CLOSED]
Clause 40
Clause 40 amends section 58 of the Act, which provides for the authority to disregard road traffic signs, to include a person who drives an emergency vehicle in the carrying out of his or her duties or a person driving a vehicle while responding to a disaster in terms of the Disaster Management Act, 2002 (Act No 57 of 2002), permitting such person to disregard the directions of a road traffic sign which is displayed in the prescribed manner and in the case where such vehicle is approaching certain intersections, such driver to stop at the intersection and proceed only when it is safe to do so.
Summary
The Bill seeks to amend the National Road Traffic Act, 1996, so as to:
- insert new definitions and to amend others;
- provide for the suspension and cancellation of the registration of an examiner for driving licences or an examiner of vehicles, if such person has been convicted of an offence listed in Schedule 1 or 2 of the Criminal Procedure Act, 1977 (Act No. 51 of 1977), or has a direct or indirect conflict of interest;
- provide for the registration and grading of training centres;
- further provide for the registration of manufacturers, builders, body builders, importers and manufacturers of number plates, including manufacturers of reflective sheeting for number plates, suppliers of blank number plates, suppliers of reflective sheeting for number plates, embossers of number plates, weighbridge facilities, manufacturers of microdots, suppliers of microdots and microdot fitment centres;
- extend the right to appeal to a manufacturer of blank number plates, manufacturer of reflective sheeting for number plates, supplier of blank number plates, supplier of reflective sheeting for number plates, embosser of number plates, weighbridge facility, manufacturer of microdots, supplier of microdots and microdot fitment centres;
- require a provincial Department responsible for transport or local authority to register a driving licence testing centre before operating as a driving licence testing centre;
- further provide for the appointment of inspectorate of manufacturers, building, body builders, importers, including inspectorates of number plates, microdots and weighbridge facilities;
- prohibit the wilful or negligent issuing of a learner’s licence or authorising the issue of a learner’s licence, endorsing or failure to endorse a learner’s licence, or to produce, print or manufacture any document similar to a learner’s licence, contrary to Chapter IV of the National Road Traffic Act, 1996;
- prohibit the use of unauthorised aid during a test for a learner’s licence or a driving licence test, and the disqualification thereof;
- provide for the registration and grading of driving school instructors; to provide for the registration and grading of driving schools;
- regulate further on international driving permits and foreign driving licence and permits; and to provide for matters connected therewith.