Ditch Driver’s Licence Cards and Car Discs, Says SA Road Safety Expert

South Africa should permanently scrap physical driver’s licence cards and vehicle licence discs, according to road safety expert and Driving.co.za managing director Rob Handfield-Jones, who argues that the analogue system is outdated, inefficient, and ultimately, a money-making racket.

“Every driver has fingerprints, and every vehicle has a VIN. If SARS can collect tax through an app, then traffic officers can police drivers with an app,” said Handfield-Jones.

eDL Rollout in Limbo Amid Tender Dispute

South Africa had planned to launch an electronic driving licence (eDL) by March 2025 alongside a redesigned physical card. However, the process has stalled after controversy around a tender awarded in August 2024 to French tech firm Idemia.

Transport Minister Barbara Creecy is currently reviewing whether to cancel the R1-billion-plus deal after the Auditor-General flagged procedural irregularities. But Creecy’s legal adviser argues there were no material irregularities such as corruption or fraud that would justify a cancellation.

Civil society group Outa (Organisation Undoing Tax Abuse) disagrees. It says proceeding with the tender would be a “governance failure,” especially given violations of procurement rules and the PFMA.

Outa CEO Wayne Duvenage warned that if the government does not reverse the decision, litigation is inevitable.

Digital-Only Licensing: A Smarter, Cheaper Alternative?

Handfield-Jones argues that the country could avoid the mess entirely by scrapping physical cards and discs, replacing them with a secure, app-based digital licence.

According to him, the cost of three card-printing machines—which Creecy said would each cost R334 million—is unnecessary. He estimates that a fully functional digital system could be built and maintained for a fraction of the cost.

“There is no technological or practical obstacle to digital licensing. The real issue is the state’s refusal to give up a lucrative revenue stream tied to physical documents.”

eDLs Already in Use Globally

Digital licences are already in use in parts of the United States, Mexico, Norway, Iceland, and Denmark, often using QR codes and integration with mobile wallets like Apple Wallet. South Africa already has the legal framework to support eDLs through the Aarto Act, which requires traffic officers to carry digital terminals capable of scanning barcodes—including those displayed on smartphones.

“We already have the infrastructure. What we lack is the political will to implement a digital-first model,” said Handfield-Jones.

Is It About Safety or Revenue?

Handfield-Jones accuses the government of prioritizing income from card renewals—currently costing motorists over R200—rather than addressing South Africa’s deadly road safety crisis.

He notes that prior to the introduction of licence renewals in 1998, South Africa had its lowest road fatality rates in history. Since then, fatality rates have quadrupled.

“Renewals have not improved safety. The real problem is corrupt licence issuing. We’re training drivers who can’t steer or brake properly—but they have valid cards registered on e-Natis.”

He estimates that licence fraud and incompetence have contributed to over 300,000 excess road deaths over the past 25 years.

“It’s strange how tens of thousands of 18-year-olds know how to buy a licence, but SAPS and the Hawks can’t seem to find the examiners selling them,” he said.

The Call for Reform

Handfield-Jones believes that only public pressure can force government to abandon what he calls a “licence renewal money-printing machine.”

“On a charitable assessment, government stands to make at least R11 billion over 20 years from renewals. It’s a money-making racket with zero benefit to road safety.”

Unless reforms are made, he warns, South Africa will continue to sacrifice lives on the altar of bureaucracy and outdated tech.

{Source MyBroadBand}

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