Driving licence cards will be phased out in favour of new, smart driving licence cards. (Jacques Stander/Gallo Images)
- A bidder has been appointed to produce new driving licence cards.
- The smart cards will improve security and comply with international standards.
- Time frames will be announced once the bidder signs the service level agreement with the transport department.
A preferred bidder has been appointed to produce new, smart driving licence cards, which will comply with international driving licence standards.
The Department of Transport announced the appointment of identity and security company, IDEMIA, saying the company is expected to enter into a service level agreement with it “in due course”.
It will then begin putting in place infrastructure and systems required for the smart cards, department spokesperson Collen Msibi said.
“More information in terms of the time frames will thereafter be made available to the public once the service agreement has been signed,” he added.
“The new licence card will incorporate new security features aimed at eliminating the ever-increasing risks of fraudulent and counterfeit driving licences.”
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Considering the cost of producing the driving licence and the risk of fraud and corruption, “the new driving licence will continue to be manufactured centrally”, Msibi said
Former transport minister Fikile Mbalula introduced the smart licence concept in 2022.
The department has been plagued by problems with the country’s only driving licence card printing machine breaking down, resulting in weeks of downtime and delays in printing cards.
In 2022, the department experienced a major backlog in the printing of licences after the card machine broke down and was sent to Germany to be fixed.
