MOTORISTS are extremely frustrated and confused with the renewal process of vehicle and drivers’ licences.
Wheels24 reported that numerous readers have been unable to make any appointments online as there are currently no slots available owing to the severe backlog at traffic driving licence and testing centres.
Just to clarify again, if your vehicle, driver’s or learner’s licence expired any time from 26 March to 1 June 2020, you have 90 days to renew your licence at a testing centre.
It’s also important to note not all testing centres reopened and the few which have reopened their doors are not at full capacity either.
Best would be to call the facility you are planning to visit, and rather call ahead before venturing out and standing in long queues.
Another alternative is to try to renew your vehicle licence at a South African Post Office.
Keep any proof of payment and receipts if you have in fact renewed your driver’s licence before lockdown, but were unable to collect owing to the closure of centres. Make copies, take a photo on your phone. Should you be fined, you would need to contest this.
Justice Project SA’s Howard Dembovsky said, “For vehicle licences that expired at the end of June, the normal 21 days’ grace period will apply.
“My advice is that people should renew vehicle licence discs at the South African Post Office because to my knowledge, the gazette did not authorise the reopening of registering authorities, even though this may be happening anyway.”
