South Africa’s Department of Transport plans to introduce updated driver’s licence cards within the next two years.
Business Tech reports the new, durable card will boast improved security features and will be ISO 18013 compliant, meaning it will be internationally accepted.
The Department of Transport said that the modernisation of the Driving Licence Card Account (DLCA) – a trading entity of the Department of Transport which is responsible for card production – will also allow for a number of other improvements, including:
- Reducing the production turnaround from 12 days to 7 days;
- Introducing an electronic/mobile driving licence;
- Creating a platform for introducing e-services;
- Re-engineering of the DLCA process to allow for automation of support services and the elimination of the manual process.
The department confirmed that the coronavirus lockdown has had an impact on the introduction of these new cards, but did not indicate how the project was delayed.
It added that the DLCA is losing revenue of around R19 million month due to the reduction of licence applications during the lockdown period.
Business Tech reports the Department of Transport also predicts that South Africa will face a card backlog once the lockdown has lifted and motorists are allowed to apply for licences.
This is due to a “possible sharp increase” in the driver’s licence cards applications as well as routine maintenance on card production machines, it said.
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