The Federation of Unions of South Africa (FEDUSA) welcomes Cabinet’s approval to extend the validity period of driving licence cards in South Africa from five to ten years. This decision applies to licence codes A, A1, B, and EB, which cover light motor vehicles.
For many years, South Africa has relied on a single, decades-old printing machine that is prone to frequent breakdowns, resulting in significant backlogs in the production of driving licence cards. The extension of the validity period is expected to help alleviate this backlog while also providing some financial relief to motorists.
The current renewal system has been a source of frustration for millions of driver’s licence holders, many of whom are required to spend long hours at traffic departments due to administrative inefficiencies and related challenges.
FEDUSA trusts that this extension will not result in increased costs for licence renewals or applications and calls on the relevant authorities to ensure that the process remains accessible and affordable for all South Africans.
We strongly urge all driver’s licence holders to continue renewing their licences in accordance with current regulations until the new law comes into effect. FEDUSA further emphasizes the need for the government to act without delay to align the necessary legislation with this policy decision.
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