Transport Minister Fikile Mbalula said his department hoped to clear the massive driving licence backlog by next year March.
On Friday, the minister extended the deadline for driving licence renewals to 31 March 2022.
One point two (1.2) million licences have not yet been renewed out of 2.8 million expired licences countrywide.
“The challenge is not with the motorists, so you can’t be arrested and be given a fine simply because you have been failed by the system, so we are intervening to extend,” Mbalula said.
The interventions the minister was referring to include opening two driving licence testing centres in Gauteng in October, adding mobile buses, longer operating hours, and getting more equipment.
Mbalula said he’d noted the problems with the system such as massive backlogs, capacity challenges, and faulty equipment.
He said they are working on these issues.
“We give ourselves until 31 March. We believe that the time frame we have set for ourselves we should be in position…”
The minister said the extension comes into effect from the date of publication of the Government Gazette.