Alarm bells for driving licence renewals in South Africa
The Department of Transport has been advised that cancelling the smart card drivers’ licence tender could have dire consequences—with the current card printer on its last legs and a backlog in renewals growing since January. At the beginning of March 2025, Transport Minister Barbara Creecy initiated legal action to block the awarding of a contract for new printing driving licence printing machines following an investigation into the tendering process. Despite the investigation, City Press has reported that the Department of Transport’s lawyers have since advised against cancelling the tender. Advocate Adam Masombuka, the department’s chief director of legal service, said cancelling the R500 million smart card driver’s licence tender awarded to French company Idemia would have serious consequences. “It will lead to an interdict and a protracted review legal process that can take years, compared with appointing the preferred bidder.” The Auditor-General (AGSA) found that the tender was i...
