Test driving and licensing stations in shambles

GA-NCHABELENG – The Democratic Alliance (DA) in Limpopo has called on MEC for Transport, Community Safety and Liaison, Mavhungu Lerule-Ramakhanya to address challenges at test driving and licensing stations across the province to prevent further escalation of the existing backlogs.

The DA said its call followed the recent oversight visit to test and driving stations by the portfolio committee for transport which laid bare serious challenges experienced in the Capricorn and Sekhukhune districts.

According to the party the Mabopo driving testing and licensing centre in Ga-Nchabeleng, Sekhukhune has no space for filling and not storeroom.

The party said not vehicle testing was being done despite the fact that such facilities were available and clients who were turned away must travel to Polokwane municipality for that service.

Suzan Phala, DA provincial spokesperson for transport and community safety, said the centre further did not have facilities for the issuing of new driving licenses.

Phala said the centre only accepted cash as there were no card swiping facilities and poor network coverage to operate the eNatis and learners testing systems and that the challenges were also experienced at Sekhukhune, Schoonoord driving testing and licensing centre.

“The Schoonord centre does not have a back-up generator, experience water shortages and have limited office space for examiners, as they shared and stored all documents and working tools in the same office. The Mankweng centre has limited space and can currently only accommodate 12 candidates to write their driver’s license exams due to COVID-19 protocols,” said Phala.

She said the party called on MEC, Mavhungu Lerule-Ramakhanya, to dispatch mobile offices to stations to address the shortage of office space and upgrade the network