Conversion to Credit Card Licences

Credit Card Licencing System

Background Information regarding the Conversion to Credit Card Licences

In order to reach the same understanding regarding the driving licence conversion process, the following is important:

The lack of integrity of a South African driving licence is central to our atrocious road safety record.

The fragmentation of apartheid meant that various state agencies with varying degrees of competence had legal authority to issue a valid driving licence.
By 1994 the situation had deteriorated so badly that literally thousands of South Africans were in possession of a valid driving licence even without having gone through the motions of a driving test.
In 1990, Advocate T J Botha of the CSIR had estimated that there were nearly ONE MILLION fraudulent licences in South Africa.

The introduction of the credit card format driving licence by means of production technology will eliminate fraudulent driver’s licences as they will not be recognized on the Home affairs or NATIS database when presented around the country without ready means of validation. The credit card type licence is only issued after data has been validated and the card has numerous security features built into it and into the production facility including a current photograph, for the purpose of conversion. Previously stick-in type licences were colour-photostatted and placed in ID documents as these licences had no security features built into them. The credit card type licence is machine-readable, contains the thumbprint of the holder and other critical information. The value of the licence is therefore much greater and also serves as proof of identification. These licences are also machine-readable as they are endorsed with a three dimensional bar code and therefore promote administrative order and traceability of the licence holder.

As we have said before the integrity of a drivers licence is the fundamental condition towards the creation of a safe driving culture in South Africa. Everything else depends on it.

Folding Card Type Drivers Licence

As early as the 1970’s a decision was taken to incorporate Folding Type Drivers Licence into Books of Life, Reference Books and other forms of separate identities that South Africans held. By 1991, after numerous postponements spanning over 20 years the process was still not completed. This promoted fraud and corruption and the proliferation of more false drivers licences, which came into wide circulation. Meantime, in 1986 all South Africans had to have one identity, namely the bar-coded ID but this still incorporated stick-in type drivers licences and excluded residents of TBVC territories. Though South Africa had moved to improving the integrity of the ID book, the integrity of a drivers licence was still lacking. A common ID book was finally made compulsory for all South Africans as we headed for the 1999 elections. The Department of Transport had a year before, in March 1998, taken a decision to have a credit-card type licence, which would result in one ID for every South African citizen and one drivers licence for all South African drivers. The tragic consequence of the old driving licences was that traffic authorities could never be on top of enforcing road safety compared to their counterparts in countries with the same level of development.

The Plea for More Time

The five-year period expired in August 2002. By law this meant that anyone whose drivers licence was not converted had to be regarded as an unlicensed driver. Even before that expiry stringent pleas for more time were made in the media and certain other platforms. The question we asked then and the question we ask now is how much is more time? Those that had converted late had in the meantime been paying penalties for late conversion but six months period of grace was still

given. Even though our department of transport in KZN had spent thousands of rands in overtime for openings on Saturdays to accommodate the expected influx of drivers the provision of these special services was not always well supported even though several print and electronic media advertisements and interviews were conducted around the province. The RTI offices were also open on every Saturday throughout February as an additional service to the public in order to accommodate those who have waited until the last minute to complete the conversion process.

Saving lives on the roads is most urgent and the CCF driving licence is the key to restoring the integrity of the driving licence in South Africa. According to the Government Gazette of 23 January 2003, the CCF licence will be the only driving licence acceptable after February 2003. After that anyone without it will be regarded as an unlicensed driver.

In KZN we are not going to be deterred from making our roads safe. Five years has been enough for anyone wanting to abide by the law.

National Traffic Information System (NaTIS): Implementation of Credit Card Format Driving Licence Cards with effect from 1 March 1998

On 1 March 1998, the replacement of driver’s licences contained in identity documents with driving licences appearing on driving licence cards came into effect on the National Traffic Information System (NaTIS). This System is co-ordinated by the Department of Transport and was implemented in all Provinces. The implementation of this system also coincided with the implementation of the new rationalised learner’s licence and driving licence codes and with the implementation of the professional driving permit (PrDP) issued on a driving licence card and was proclaimed in Government Gazette number 6103 dated 23 February 1998.

The conversion of driver’s licences from the various current formats to the new credit card format was scheduled over a five-year period starting from 1 March 1998 until 28 February 2003 and this conversion is based on the month in which the applicant was born, irrespective of the year of birth. This period also includes a six-month grace period for late conversions. During these prescribed periods, the holders of driver’s licences affected, are afforded a period of 4 months during which he/ she may apply for the conversion of his/ her driver’s licence.

Licence holders failing to apply within the prescribed periods for the replacement of their existing old-type driver’s licences contained in identity documents were initially levied an administration fee of R 5,00 per month, for each late month of application. The aforesaid was published by the Minister of Transport in Government Gazette Number 19311 dated October 1998. The fee of R 5,00 was subsequently increased to R 10,00 per month with effect from 1 April 1999 as published in the Provincial Gazette of 18 February 1999 and has not since been increased.

The Province of KwaZulu-Natal has 926 209 recorded driver’s licence holders who are required to convert to the new credit card format. In order to assist this process, Provincial Centres have offered a Saturday service since the implementation of the system during 1998 and have increased the days for crucial cut-off months or periods. As at 24 January 2003, 691 803 licence holders have completed the conversion of their driver’s licences which amounts to a total of 74.69%. This leaves 234406 (25.31%) licence holders who are still required to complete the conversion of their driver’s licences, however, since mid-January 2003 there has been an influx of applicants resulting in relatively smaller Centres such as Pinetown collecting approximately R100000 per day.

The conversion of old-type driver’s licences has proceeded at an even pace, however, much resistance has been experienced from members of public with regard to the payment of penalties levied for late application. These penalties have been enforced for all applicants, however, provision has been made for the waiver of penalties in instances where applicants were not in a position to apply for the conversion of their driver’s licences due to circumstances beyond their control such as illness, absence from the country and incarceration in prison.

There has also been a misapprehension by members of public that the payment of penalties was only a requirement in the Province of Kwa-Zulu Natal. Penalties are payable in all Provinces barring Gauteng Province who have waivered all penalties in lieu of which a higher fee is payable to the card manufacturing facility for the production of the card. This increased fee is recovered from the applicants concerned.

The conclusion of the five-year conversion cycle has been widely advertised by both the National Department of Transport and the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Transport via radio broadcasts and publications in the media.

The five-year cycle for the conversion of all driver’s licences contained in identity documents was to conclude on 28 February 2003. The National Minister of Transport, Abdulah Mohamed Omar published a Notice in Government Gazette Number 24306 dated 23 January 2003, determining 1 March 2003 as the date on which a driving licence which has been officially included in an identity document shall cease to be deemed to be a driving licence issued under the Act. The applicant concerned would thereafter be required to undergo a new learners and drivers test.

On 28 February 2003, this date was extended by two months, to 30 April 2003.

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