Government confirms eight-year licence cards amid backlogs and system failures

THE validity period for driving licences in South Africa is set to increase from five years to eight, in a long-mooted move that has been welcomed by motorists and lobby groups alike.

- JASON WOOSEY

Director-General Mathabatha Mokonyana confirmed this last week while briefing Parliament's Select Committee on Public Infrastructure.

“We have just concluded, although it took a little bit of time, the issue around extending the validity period of the driver's licence card from five to eight years,’ he told the committee.

The decision was made following a detailed assessment, which found that South Africans favour a longer validity period.

“They don't want to come back to us every five years. So we definitely will be moving to eight years soon,’ he added.

While the Department of Transport has confirmed the move, its spokesperson Collen Msibi told MyBroadband that the cost-benefit analysis has not been completed as yet.

However, the Organisation Undoing Tax Abuse (OUTA) says the government should not be in the business of making money, but rather of covering the costs.