1. The Motor Licensing Bureau currently has 67 Registering Authorities agents situated throughout KwaZulu-Natal, consisting of 39 Local Authorities, 21 Post Offices and one magistrate’s office that are formally contracted to the Motor Licensing Bureau, and 6 provincial offices.

2. In line with Good Governance and Batho Pele principles, the Motor Licensing Bureaux set the following goal:

"To provide an efficient, effective and dynamic customer oriented service to the community."

The Motor Licensing Bureau’s achievements bear testimony to the realisation and maintenance of this goal.

3. In keeping with this goal the Motor Licensing Bureau has forged ahead and initiated many new concepts based on both public and staff needs. 1996 brought in the sale of specific registration numbers, much to the delight of the public. The Bureau has since sold 2452 specific registration numbers, which equates to R2.2 million in revenue thus far.

4. A further initiative was the introduction of the sale of personalised registration numbers in 1997. Since 3 March 1997, 7392 have been sold, realising a whopping R11.2 million in revenue thus far. Considering the fact that this venture is marketed and controlled by the Bureau, hence keeping costs to minimum, the profits realised from this venture is indeed Value For Money.

5. Another achievement was the additional number of outlets (Service Delivery principle of Access). During 1996 the Department of Justice withdrew all it’s services from the Magistrate Offices. The Motor Licensing Bureau approached the South African Post Office Head Quarters in Pretoria and commenced negotiations, hence the partnership with some 18 Post Offices at that time. To assist the public in the Durban area, a further 7 Post Offices were contracted and members of the public are now able renew their licences whilst shopping at their favourite shopping centre. The fact that the revenue at these offices has increased from R2.1 million in 1997 to more that R11 million in 2000 is proof that this type of service does appeal to the public. This has assisted with the morale of the Motor Licensing Bureau Durban counter staff, as they are not constantly faced with long queues of irate customers.

6. Being in the electronic banking age, the Motor Licensing Bureau in keeping up with the times offers a credit card facility, at its provincial offices, for the payment of registration and/or licence fees. The public have found this facility most convenient as each day more and more members of the public avail themselves of this facility. All Visa and Mastercard credit cards are acceptable. This is the only province to provide such a facility. Furthermore, the Bureau in its efforts to purify functions and streamline its business, also researched the viability of digitising its provincial registries. The latter was initiated and implemented with great success as all 6 of the Bureau’s provincial offices now have their records scanned and stored on optical media, and are also accessible through the Department of Transport network, i.e. on-line access, and is readily available. This concept has eliminated the need for a registry and manual record keeping. The latter is one again a first in the country.

7. In addition to the above, Zulu-translated motor vehicle registration and licensing forms were introduced in KwaZulu-Natal, once again, a first in the country, and this has greatly assisted the Zulu speaking public with their transactions.

8. In further efforts to minimise any inconvenience and discomfort to the public whilst waiting to effect their registration and/or licensing transactions, the following have been introduced at all provincial offices:

1. Vending machines (cooldrinks/sweets/chips and chocolates) and television sets;

2. Benches for the public especially for our senior citizens;

3. Cold water dispensers;

4. Cheque deposit boxes; and

5. A Walkman with messages at our Durban and Pietermaritzburg offices, which relays pertinent information to the public.

9. The Motor Licensing Bureau is with the initiation of the Good Governance Program not only trying to accommodate the needs of the public but also of its staff, who are the core and driving force behind any successful institution. Various principles have been adopted and are continuing on a regular basis to ensure a happy and content workforce. Listed hereunder are some of the measures/principles that have been adopted:

1. "Spanbou"/Social events. e.g. Combined teas once a month, Christmas functions, social functions and not forgetting the yearly Christmas Tree function, which is held for children of the staff;

2. Cultural diversity is recognised and allowances are made therefore;

3. In order to improve the expertise of our own training staff, regular functional training is afforded;

4. With regard to in house sectional training, weekly training sessions are held and proficiency charts are updated regularly;

5. To ensure the development of staff, their training needs are identified and in consultation with effected staff, nominations are submitted for external training courses.

6. Management lead by example and promote participative management;

7. Regular meetings at all levels are held;

8. To accommodate the training of new recruits the Bureau conducts it’s own Internal Induction course and a suitable person, in each section, has been identified to perform function/specific training; and

9. A personalised internal newsletter called the "Chatterbox" is despatched on a bi-monthly basis to staff informing them of news/events taking place within the Bureau as well as articles of interest, thereby promoting a esprit de corpse. The Chatterbox is an immense ‘hit’ with staff of the Bureau as it is the ‘peoples’ newsletter.

10. Being conscious of the needs of the community, the Motor Licensing Bureaux and staff actively participate in all National Fund raising efforts. The latter coupled with the Bureau’s own casual days also encourages staff interaction and strengthens "team spirits". All funds raised from the latter are donated to Child Welfare on a regular basis.

11. Not only has KwaZulu-Natal and the Motor Licensing Bureau made it’s mark within the Province’s borders, but due to KwaZulu-Natal’s successful introduction, implementation and knowledge of the National Traffic Information System (NaTIS) as well as the sale of personalised registration numbers, Namibian, Free State, Western Province and Eastern Province delegates have visited this province on a study tour to observe, inter alia, the hands-on operation of the National Traffic Information System and the sale of personalised registration numbers. All the delegates have been most impressed by what they had seen and expressed their appreciation. The aforementioned provinces have virtually duplicated procedures and policies implemented by the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Transport.

12. Established in 1999 by officials from the Motor Licensing Bureau and Asiphephe the Traffic Camera Office has been managed directly by the Motor Licensing Bureau from February 2000. The Traffic Camera office processes fine payments made in respect of speeding fines that are captured on cameras strategically placed throughout KwaZulu-Natal. It is envisaged that the Traffic Camera Office will procure approximately R10.5 million in revenue in the current financial year. The functions of the Bureau are however not confined to the administration of staff, a budget or revenue collection, but also extends to that of a service provider to approximately 1.5 million citizens of KwaZulu-Natal per annum if not more. KwaZulu-Natal has a live vehicle population of approximately 1 million motor vehicles. Hence the Bureau places a high priority and value on customer service of the highest quality and integrity. Collectively and including the administration and management of the Traffic Camera Office, the Bureau has procured revenue in the region of R353 million in the 2001/2002 financial year.

Owing to the Bureau’s ability to successfully introduce and co-ordinate new concepts on its business practices, the co-ordination and implementation of the Remote Communication System (REMCOM) has been conferred to the Motor Licensing Bureau. This system has been successfully utilised at 2 roadblocks and in the first one alone achieved the following results:

A total of 827 cars were stopped in a period of 10 hours, of which 220 offenders were identified and dealt with as follows:

57 notices were issued, 358 summonses were served and 11 warrants of arrest were executed.

The total value of fines issued at the REMCOM demonstration amounts to R109 620-00 and, of this, all 11 warrants issued, amounting to R5885-00, were paid.

13. The Bureaux’s efforts in curbing fraud and corruption at all its 66 registering authority agents yielded the following:

Successful conviction of an employee of the Pinetown Provincial office, with fraud totalling R800 000-00 being detected and R600 000-00 being recovered.

Conviction of and prison sentences to two local authority staff on Dundee and Port Shepstone, one a 3-year conviction and the other a 2-year conviction respectively. Amounts detected were R50 000-00 and R30 000-00, respectively.

Three staff from the Pietermaritzburg Motor Licensing Bureau successfully dismissed as a result of fraud ranging from R20 000-00 to R250 000-00 being detected, totalling R360 000-00.

Four Durban Motor licensing Bureau staff suspended, of which three have been dismissed, with fraud totalling over R800 000-00 being detected.

An Ixopo registering authority staff member had their services terminated after an investigation by the Inspectorate Section, with fraud amounting to approximately R220 000-00 being uncovered.

A tare weight fraud scam totalling in excess of R5 million has also been uncovered and is being investigated by the Inspectorate Section of the Motor Licensing Bureau.

14. The Bureau has, for all its efforts and initiatives in customer service, received a 4-star rating from the PCCI for the Choice Numbers and Counter sections for the last two years. Further, through sheer hard work, determination and team efforts, the Motor Licensing Bureau has also won the prestigious SILVER BATHO PELE award in the Pricewater House Coopers Premiers Good Governance competition for 1999/2000. The Bureau has further secured a place in the finals of this competition for 2000/2001.

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