Licence Chaos

• OUTA wants answers from Minister Creecy
• Card validity extensions, a broken printing system and a scrapped tender: OUTA says motorists deserve transparency and action

The Organisation Undoing Tax Abuse (OUTA) has formally written to Minister Barbara Creecy, requesting urgent feedback on three critical issues affecting motorists: the extension of the driver’s licence card validity period, the ongoing breakdown of the country’s sole licence card printing machine, and concerns surrounding the cancellation of the tender awarded to Idemia.

1. Extension of the driver’s licence card validity period

OUTA has long advocated for extending the validity period of the driver’s licence card from five to ten years. This move would alleviate administrative burdens, reduce backlogs, and lower costs for both motorists and the government.

“Research we undertook in 2022 shows that many countries have already extended the validity period of their driver’s licence cards to ten years or more without compromising road safety,” says OUTA’s CEO, Wayne Duvenage.

OUTA met with the then Minister of Transport, Fikile Mbalula, to present our report.

Later in 2022, Minister Mbalula had committed to an eight-year validity period, but this was never implemented.

“It should also be noted that a ten-year validity period was gazetted in 2013, but then mysteriously withdrawn,” explains Duvenage. “We believe the Department of Transport cannot continue to avoid this issue.”

2. Ongoing breakdown of the licence card printing machine

Adding to the urgency of the situation is yet another breakdown of South Africa’s only driver’s licence card printing machine. According to unconfirmed reports, the machine has been out of operation since January 2025, causing significant delays in the issuing of new and renewed licences.

“Motorists are once again being subjected to delays and inconvenience due to the ongoing failures of this outdated system. The Department must explain why the machine is not operational, despite previous repairs and maintenance contracts,” Duvenage adds.

3. Concerns over the cancelled Idemia tender

OUTA has also raised concerns over a recent legal opinion advising Minister Creecy to proceed with the driving licence card printing contract with Idemia, despite the Auditor-General of South Africa (AGSA) finding irregularities in the tender process.

The AGSA report clearly stated that the winning bid was non-compliant with supply chain management prescripts, the Public Finance Management Act (PFMA), Treasury Regulations and Driving Licence Card Account (DLCA) policies, amongst others. Consequently, Minister Creecy has instructed the department to lodge a High Court application for a declaratory order to block the award of the tender.

“Proceeding with the Idemia contract despite AGSA’s findings would be a serious governance failure. If Idemia challenges the cancellation in court, OUTA and possibly other tendering companies will not hesitate to oppose them,” says Duvenage.

South Africa’s current licence card printing machine is 26 years old and has experienced 159 breakdowns, according to recent reports.

OUTA requests transparency and action and calls on Minister Creecy and the Department of Transport to urgently provide clarity on these three issues.

“We believe these matters can no longer be ignored. The public deserves transparency on the government’s plans to modernise the licensing system and address the backlog. Minister Creecy must provide an official response and commit to long-term solutions,” Duvenage concludes.

OUTA remains committed to holding authorities accountable and ensuring that practical, cost-effective, and fair solutions are implemented for the benefit of all South Africans.