Readers have tried in vain to get their vehicle registration discs at post offices in Bloemfontein. Staff there says they do not have the prescribed paper to print these discs.
Vehicle owners are now concerned that they will get fines because they cannot prove that they wanted to renew their licenses in time.
The DA in the Free State is also concerned with the ongoing failures of the Free State Department of Community Safety, Roads and Transport’s (DoCST) administration, particularly regarding vehicle registrations and governance issues.
Jafta Mokoena, the DA’s spokesperson for DoCST in the Free State Legislature, says residents across the Free State are facing challenges with registering their vehicles due to the incompetence of the DoCST’s licensing offices, which reportedly lack essential resources to manage basic governmental functions.
“It is imperative that the elected premier, who was still MEC for this department two weeks ago, takes swift action to ensure that the newly elected MEC responsible for Roads and Transport, Jabu Mbalula, conducts his responsibilities and effectively manages his department. The DA emphasises that road users should not be subjected to the ANC’s administrative shortcomings.”
He says in addition to these operational failures, the department is losing vital revenue crucial for maintaining and repairing this province’s road infrastructure.
“This mismanagement directly impacts the safety and quality of life of our residents, which is unacceptable.
“The DA remains steadfast in our commitment to holding the executive accountable and prioritising the needs of Free State residents,” Mokoena says.
