Mbalula: No further extension for driving licence renewals

Mbalula was speaking during the release of the road statistics over the recent Easter weekend.

He also provided an update on the driving licence card backlog.

Motorists only have a week to renew cards that expired between March 26, 2020 and August 31, 2021.

Mbalula said South Africa has a backlog of 1.3 million expired driving licence cards.

Measures have been put in place to ramp up the production of cards, and government hope to clear the backlog by the end of June.

READ: Mbalula: 162 people killed on roads over Easter weekend

“We have done everything to remove obstacles that were an impediment to the renewal of driving licences,” Mbalula said.

“It is now up to the motoring public to overcome their inertia and comply. Our law enforcement authorities will be extremely ruthless in dealing with drivers who flout the law and drive without a valid driving licence card and cannot produce evidence that they have renewed their licence and are awaiting its issue.”

Mbalula said around a quarter of Gauteng motorists do not show up after booking a renewal slot.  

“Motorists must understand that they have to utilise their booked slots to help us tackle the backlog in a meaningful way. 

"We urge these drivers to ensure that they honour their commitment and take up the slots, which slots would ordinarily have been used by others who have difficulty in finding slots closer to where they live.”