The Organisation Undoing Tax Abuse (OUTA) has called for an immediate halt to fines issued to motorists whose driving licence cards have been delayed due to a national backlog.
The Department of Transport has confirmed a backlog of more than 700,000 cards, following the breakdown of the country’s only card-printing machine.
OUTA’s Stefanie Fick is calling for a moratorium on penalties for motorists still awaiting their licence renewals. She’s also urged government to consider extending the validity of driving licences from five to ten years, saying the current system is outdated and inefficient.
“Motorist who followed the rules should not be punished for government delays because the state cannot deliver the cards on time. We also want clear public communication and instructions to traffic officials to prevent unfair treatment. Let us see the government take accountability and treat the public fairly,” she added.
