The validity period of South African driver’s licenses will remain unchanged at five years and will not be extended to eight or 10 years.
This decision comes despite previous statements from former transport minister Fikile Mbalula and current transport minister Sindisiwe Chikunga indicating that the validity period would be extended.
According to Chikunga and Road Traffic Management Corporation CEO Makhosini Msibi, the proposal to extend the validity period was not presented to Cabinet for approval, writes Moneyweb.
However, Chikunga stated in August last year that the proposal would be presented to Cabinet “soon.”
She said the decision to consider an extension was based on an investigation spearheaded by Mbalula, who wanted to assess the international standards on extending licence validity periods.
Extending validity to 10 years
In September 2022, Mbalula announced that Cabinet had approved the introduction of a new smart card driving licence in South Africa and that the Department of Transport (DoT) had proposed extending the validity period from five years to between eight and 10 years.
He mentioned that the DoT had received full support from provincial transport MECs for this review.
Msibi told Moneyweb that a study was conducted to explore the feasibility and justification for extending the driving licence validity period.
He noted that the validity period “should be extended for 20 years or it should be timeless” but emphasised that the current five-year period is tied to drivers’ health, including eye tests.
Msibi said that many accidents are linked to communicable and other diseases, making it “critical” to maintain the current validity period until these health and safety issues are addressed.
While the licence card expires, the driving licence itself does not, he added. The card’s expiration allows for updates on the driver’s health status.
Licence renewal delays
It is unclear however whether motorists will have to undergo a medical check-up before renewing their driver’s licence.
Automobile Association (AA) spokesperson Layton Beard argues that extending the period does align with international standards. He added that it would benefit motorists by reducing delays in licence renewals.
He did not want speculate on the reasons for government flip flopping on its proposal, but confirmed that driving licence renewals are “an income for government”.
Wayne Duvenage, CEO of the Organisation Undoing Tax Abuse (Outa), called government’s decision to maintain the five-year validity period “ludicrous,” citing the administrative burden and costs for consumers.
