The City of Cape Town has launched an online booking system for motor vehicle licence renewals and registrations, as well as for account payments and queries.
The new system allows customers to book an appointment in advance and avoid spending hours in the long queue.
At this current stage, the online booking services’ availability is limited to only three selected customer offices, however, the service is expected to be implemented within additional customer walk-in centres this week.
“The new online booking system will assist with reducing waiting periods and is excellent way for residents to avoid queues. Customers are able to make their appointment at the Table Bay Mall walk-in centre, City Civic Centre Motor Vehicle Registration and Licensing Office and the Civic Centre walk-in centre,” the city said.
Bookings will be valid from 15 minutes before and 15 minutes after the appointment time. If you miss the 15-minute window, the booking will automatically be cancelled. The customer will have to register again from scratch.
Meanwhile, South Africa is set to introduce a new driver’s licence card with new secure design features that comply with international standards.
Transport Minister Fikile Mbalula on Friday (2 December) that the cabinet had approved the replacement of the current licence, with the current cards to be phased out. The cards will be valid until March 31, 2029.
“The current driver’s licence card was introduced in 1998, and the production equipment was produced in the same year. The technology has become obsolete,” Mbalula said.
The transport minister also said his department is ready to look at amending the five-year validity period that currently applies to driver’s licence cards in South Africa.
Mbalula announced in February that a team at the Road Traffic Management Corporation (RTMC) would compile a report focusing on how extending licences to 10 years could impact safety and revenue.
Source: The South African, Eyewitness News, Business Tech, IOL, News24, image from Twitter: Business Tech