Driver licence deadline for South Africa warning. Traffic authorities have warned of the fast-approaching grace period deadline for motoring licences in South Africa at the end of August.

The national lockdown imposed on the country last year forced licencing centres to close, resulting in a massive backlog of expired licences.

Transport minister Fikile Mbalula subsequently announced an extension for these licences.

All learner licences, driving licence cards, temporary driving licences and professional driving licences that expired between 26 March 2020 and 31 December 2020 were made valid for a grace period ending 31 August 2021.

The Road Traffic Management Corporation (RTMC) has said that drivers should allow at least four weeks lead time from the date of application until the driving licence card.

Those who do not receive a new licence until after expiry will need to apply for a temporary driving licence at an additional cost.

When applying for your driving licence, drivers will need to present the following information and documents:

Original ID and a copy, old driving licence card or valid South African passport;
Four black and white ID photographs;
Proof of residence;
Licence renewal fee.

Big increase in volumes

The City of Cape Town has said that it expects a peak in renewals over the coming week, as a flood of motorists seeks to renew before month-end.

“This month, customers who are renewing their motor vehicle licence discs via the City’s e-Services may experience high volumes and subsequent delays in processing,” said deputy mayor Ian Neilson.

“We also remind motorists that offices may have longer queues during this time, due to the high volumes of 2020 licence renewal extensions that are coming to an end. Motorists should always act proactively, check their licence discs on their vehicles and plan for a longer renewal turnaround time.

“Phone ahead of time to check whether a particular office is open as offices are subject to sudden closure due to the Covid-19 third wave that is in full swing.

“The City’s CTAlerts page on Twitter is updated regularly, so customers may check the page for operational updates.”