Get It Off Your Chest

The Department of Transport is proposing a significant change that every South African driver needs to know about. Under the proposed amendments, driver’s licences, learner’s licences and Traffic Register Number certificates would no longer be accepted as general identification documents, following an investigation that uncovered widespread abuse of traffic registration documents.

Your driver’s licence is not being cancelled and will remain valid for driving. However, its use as general proof of identity at banks, airports, offices and residential estates could be restricted, meaning South Africans would need to rely on official Home Affairs identification such as the Smart ID Card or green barcoded ID book. Foreign nationals would generally need a valid passport and the relevant permit.

The changes are not yet law. Draft amendments are expected to be published in the Government Gazette for public comment, with 30 days allowed for submissions. Meanwhile, 300,000 inactive Traffic Register Numbers have already been blocked, with remaining holders asked to verify their details with Home Affairs.

Collen Msibi, spokesperson for the Department of Transport, joins the show to explain what is being proposed, why it is necessary and what South Africans need to do to prepare.