'BLAME IT ON THE BACKLOG'
September 9, 2008
By Anél Powell
More than 35 000 people were caught driving in Cape Town without valid driving licences in the first six months of 2008 – and more than 19 000 unlicensed cars were pulled over.
ANC councillor Werner Scwhella said he was "deeply concerned" about the number of people driving without licences.
"The question is whether people are merely ignoring the law or taking a chance driving without a licence due to the long waiting periods," he added
Many jobs require a driving licence, which means frustrated motorists are choosing to drive illegally.
According to the Metro Police's quarterly report, Cape Town's traffic department dealt with 19 234 unlicensed drivers and just under 11 000 unlicensed vehicles in April, May and June, 2008Cape Town is doing 'relatively well' in reducing the waiting time to six months.
Traffic spokesperson Merle Lourens said the high number of unlicensed drivers could be because of the testing backlog. It could also be caused by motorists who did not want to get a valid driver's licence.
Acting safety and security director Heathcliff Thomas said the waiting period for a new licence was nine months nationally but that Cape Town was doing "relatively well" in reducing the waiting time to an average of six months.
A pilot booking system had been introduced at the Lingelethu driving licence test centre in Khayelitsha, he said, and would be followed by others at Atlantis, Milnerton and Gallows Hill.
Even with the introduction of the new system, it takes at least six months to book for a licence testThe next available date for a licence test is in February 2009.
The next available date for a licence test at either the Lingelethu centre or at Hillstar test centre in Ottery is in February 2009.
The city has been flooded with a 50 percent increase in bookings for motorcycle and driving tests in the past year, partly because of the rise in fuel prices. - Cape Times
