The Driving Licence Testing Centre (DLTC) in Strand is one of three municipal facilities that will operate on a cashless system come Thursday 1 October.

The City of Cape Town has announced the DLTCs in Strand, Brackenfell and Fish Hoek will be part of a pilot project to improve customer experience and service delivery. The other 15 DLTCs across the metro will still allow for both cash and card transactions.

Said JP Smith, Mayoral Committee member for Safety and Security: “The City is moving towards more digital resources to try and improve our customer experience and service delivery in general. Cashless transactions are one such development. This pilot will determine the feasibility of such a system at all of our DLTCs. We also look forward to other possible improvements in the future to help streamline operations at our DLTCs.”

All 18 centres process thousands of transactions monthly, including traffic fine payments and payments associated with learner’s and driving licence applications, driving licence card renewals or replacements, and applications for public driving permits.

Among the benefits of cashless transactions are a reduction in the risk associated with handling cash, reconciliation workload and risk of revenue theft or cash collection fees, while it also supports digital transformation and improved service delivery

“The Road Traffic Management Corporation has already piloted an online appointment system in Gauteng and the Eastern Cape. Such a system would be a game changer here in Cape Town,” Smith added. “The recent announcement that driving licence cards will be valid for 10 years instead of five, will also go a long way in reducing the pressure on our centres, once implemented.”