Vehicle and driver licence renewals

[Dave A]

last time i went to renew my license it was on a tuesday at about 2:15, toke me 10 min to do.

For me, I'd guess about 45 minutes. Not great, but I can live with that. Apparently you stand no chance of anything close to those sort of times now, though.

Meanwhile, the system is still making the news. How about this little snippet

Msibi rejected this, saying the system was capacitated to carry a load that was comparable with what could be carried before it was launched.

"Members of the public can rest assured that the system is working according to plan."
from IOL here

Planned long queues and delays - Thanks a bunch

[Snoopy_inc]

excuses, is that all they can make? How about... ok we screwed up and we are trying to fix it, would have less of an impact and make the people feel better that they admitted to it.

[RKS Computer Solutions]

I have to go and get my license renewed before the end of the month... Will keep you guys updated....

If you read the local papers the people and the cops had a nice chat after people refused to leave the centers before their names were taken down to be helped first thing the next morning, some people being there from 6am.... So, could be in for a long day...

[Dave A]

Hopefully only one day, Riaan. This is in today's news.

Frustration continued to reign at Johannesburg's Langlaagte testing and licensing station on Wednesday as the new transport electronic system (eNaTIS) kept on crashing. Some motorists queuing since dawn said they had been coming to the station since last month.

Bongi Kubheka from Hillbrow had been struggling since April 16 to write her learner's-licence test. She said she had been coming to the station from as early as 5am, only to be told that the system was offline and she should return the next day.

"These people are arrogant. I've been here since early in the morning, but I have not been helped," Kubheka said just before 4pm, adding she would return to the station on Thursday.

The station was closed when the South African Press Association arrived at the station on Wednesday afternoon. At least 20 people, including Thabiso Netshakuma, were still queuing inside hoping to get help.

"I have already booked a date to write my learner's test. I was given five days to pay or I'll lose the spot," said Netshakuma, who had been queuing at the station since Monday, adding there were some regular faces in the line. "I don't know if I'll get help today [Wednesday]. But I have not lost hope."
full story from M&G here

[Dave A]

Minister of Transport Jeff Radebe was warned about South Africa's chaotic new traffic information system, Beeld reported on Friday.

It said the minister and the Department of Transport were told in December last year that the electronic national traffic information system (eNaTIS) would be an "embarrassment" for the country unless Radebe took action -- but even after a report containing shocking findings by the Auditor General was handed to the department in February, the system was still implemented in one fell swoop.

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Collen Msibi, spokesperson for the Department of Transport, on Friday refuted the allegations that Radebe had been aware of the potential problems with eNaTIS.

"I can confirm that that particular report [by the Auditor General] was not sent to the minister. It was addressed to the director general's office; the ministry has not seen it," he told the Mail & Guardian Online.

He said that Director General of Transport Mpumi Mpofu had been in meetings all of Friday morning, so there hadn't been an opportunity to confirm whether she had seen the report. The department was still looking into it.

"The minister did not know about the report … I know he would be quite interested to read it," Msibi said, adding that if Radebe had read it, "I'm sure the minister would have taken the advice of the Auditor General".

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Despite assurances by the Department of Transport this week that eNaTIS was working at 95% of capacity and that it was satisfied with its operation thus far, the system was still "freezing" at Langlaagte testing and licensing station in Johannesburg. Some motorists queuing since dawn on Wednesday said they had been going to the station since last month. On Tuesday, some of those in the queue threatened to burn down the station.
full story from M&G here

[RKS Computer Solutions]

o fo... sounds like fun? who can i pay to go and do my license then?

[stephanfx]

there is a company called Q4U, maybe they can help Riaan

[Graeme]

Everything back on track for MV Licences at Durban Hypermarket - short queue, staff member dedicated to MV Licences.

[Dave A]

Well at least insurance is not going to be a problem if you're struggling to renew your drivers licence.

Insurers won't punish drivers if they fail to renew their card licences
If you are trying to renew your driver's licence, you will have faced the long queues at your local traffic department as it struggles with the e-Natis computer system recently introduced by the department of transport.

If you fail to renew your card licence timeously, you may face a fine from the traffic police but one consolation is that any insurance claims you make with an expired card licence will not be turned down on the grounds that your licence has expired.

Brian Martin, the Ombudsman for Short-term Insurance, says the legal implications of failing to renew your card licence every five years are different from those that you will face if you have failed to convert the old driver's licence contained in your identity document to the newer card licence.
full story from Personal Finance here

[Dave A]

I got my drivers licence renewed in 55 minutes from time in the door to time out at Pinetown this morning. Apparently Rossburgh is not going so well.

Chatting there, apparently things are going better. When I asked the cashier about how eNatIS is going, he said "It's trying to cope."