By Umamah Bakharia

Calls are growing on Minister of Transport Fikile Mbalula to extend the driver’s licence deadline. Motorists have until the end of this month to renew their licences. This comes as thousands of motorists are still struggling to have their expired driving licence cards renewed.

Organisation Undoing Tax Abuse (OUTA) Executive Director at the Accountability Division, Advocate Stefanie Fick speaks to Radio Islam on the license renewal deadline that has frustrated motorists.

“I think he [transport minister, Fikile Mbalula] will be forced to extend the deadline,” says Fick.

OUTA is also raising the question of why drivers have to renew their license every 5 years, and suggest that the government should extend license renewal to 10 years instead.

“If [Mbalula] extends driving license cards to 10 years, the whole process will be alleviated, the problem will be solved,” says Fick.

Meanwhile driving school instructors have been protesting against the national administration traffic information system (NaTIS) booking system, which they argue does not work and is not user friendly.

Fick says these protests are occurring because the government has failed to consult with the people affected by the decisions made.