Fed-up driving schools launch e-mail petition

[Zabzoo]

Seems like South Africa is going the route of the Dodo when it comes to efficiency. In other African countries corruption and simple ineptness slows down things conveniently enough to make it easier for folks to get bribes from the public willing to pay to get things done. This is how people end up paying bribes for stuff that should be easy, free and efficient.

It really is an horiffic thought if you state it like that. I believe that the South African government should adapt a policy of efficiency involving technologies to increase service delivery. In so many ways has this proven to be a success.

[skoob]

Oh Fsckit...might as well try and book now before my learners expires AGAIN.
*sigh*

[Pat Allen]

Hello everybody!

We really appreciate your interest in the problems facing new drivers.

Please log in to our website and sign our petition if you are struggling to book a legal learner's or driver's license appointment.see http://saidi.co.za.

It is a new site and we are appealing to the Government to change the way of booking since it is not working.

It has not worked for five years!

One big problem is that there are too few examining officers to meet the needs of the population.

Another problem is that there is a lack of communication between the testing centres, so we are seeing deserted testing centres but can't get appointments.

The authorities have a big problem with corruption in the driving school industry and with their own staff. They have camera footage of it!

We want to hear from you when you go to different test centres and let us know how busy they are! Send us a photo with your cell phone. Give us dates, times you arrived and left, which test centres.

We want to thank those members of the public who have tried and are trying so hard to become legal drivers.

To all those who have given up and are driving illegally, we want to encourage you to get legal before you have an accident and end up paying for the rest of your life even if the other person caused the accident.
Please get hold of us with your questions. We want to help you to get legal!

Help us to help you by signing the petition and sending it to everybody who is struggling now to get an appointment, or has eventually managed to pass, or has given up and is now either driving illegally, or using public transport (we want to hear if that is satisfactory), or also we want to hear from people who have been adversely affected by not having a license. Write your story on the space in the Petition.

The present way of booking in Gauteng is to phone the Provincial Call Centre on 086 042 88364 (11 numbers yes!). The Ekuruleni number is no longer in use. Appointments can be made for all the towns such as Boksburg, Benoni, Edenvale, Germiston, Kempton Park, Delmas, Nigel, Springs, Randburg, Sandton, Roodepoort, Midrand, Langlaagte, West Rand such as Krugersdorp, Randfontein, Westonaria, Carletonville, and for Pretoria / Tshwane at Waltloo and Centurion, also at Rayton and more.

We are asking for Email booking directly through the testing centres to be brought back. It worked so well in July. We saw busy test centres again at last!

Langlaagte is using 1400 Toyota Corollas fitted with cameras in an effort to stamp out corruption. I am told it will be a long time before the other areas get them.Yes! It is terribly difficult for a new driver to get used to a different clutch etc. as soon as they start a test. I think the best solution is to try to drive a Corolla before the test. Borrow one if possible.

If there was not so much corruption the authorities would not have to resort to this sort of thing. It can also work in your favour. If you know the car did not roll, you can look at the footage and prove your case, for example.

Admit it!

How many people have not heard of some corrupt way of passing?
How many driving schools have offered to guarantee a pass if you pay (R?) extra.
How many driving schools now are getting block bookings, expanding their driving schools, and quietly paying for under the table privileges?
Everybody knows about this.
Everybody knows it is freely available.
Some people take advantage of these offers.

Others are disgusted.

How do you feel about it?

Some examining officers are only too happy to accept a bribe.

For anybody who knows about something corrupt, and wants to report it without anyone finding out it was you who gave them away, do you know about the sms "Tip Off" number? You send an sms to 32211 and tell them what you know. Give details if you want it stopped. They guarantee that they do not get your number unless you include it in the sms asking them to contact you. It is an anonymous way to report corruption.

If your driving school used stolen test sheets for preparing you for the learner's license test, you can report them the same way. With the new learner's license tests now you will fail because you can not learn all the answer sheets off-by-heart!

Registered driving schools can buy the correct training material from the department so that you will be correctly trained when you do your learner's license test.

Another thing, ask to see your valid driving instructor's certificate before you pay good money to someone who may run off with your money and let you down.

A driving instructor's certificate is valid for 1 year, so before it expires we have to re-apply. Ask to see the receipt to prove your instructor is operating legally. If they do have a recent receipt it is valid until the new one is issued. We battle with testing centres losing our documentation etc. too.

The police clearance of our fingerprints takes about 16 weeks or more before we are cleared, annually, until we can be obtain our new certificate. We also have to send a doctor's report and do an annual test in order to qualify. Sometimes we are passed for a couple of years without a re-test, but if your driving instructor is not sign-marking his or her vehicle, and if it does not have a dual-control brake on the left side then be very careful! (Ask if the car is insured. SAIDI can put instructors in touch with the insurance company which insures us).
You may have made contact with an illegal instructor.

Please report any use of alcohol, drugs, sexual advances, failure to give the lessons paid for, using an un-roadworthy vehicle etc. to us.We also love to hear compliments and good things about your driving instructors. We know that there are so many dedicated instructors who go the extra mile to help you to become a safe driver. Please let us know about them!

We know the authorities want to regulate the driving school industry. The bad instructors gives the rest of us a bad name, and damage our professional status.

SAIDI is short for "The South African Institute of Driving Instructors".

We are soon going to publish a list of our members, their photos, as well as a photo of the vehicle you will be learning in, and their contact details.

You will feel safer choosing a SAIDI registered instructor because we have a code of conduct. Please read it in our website under "Our Constitution".

Please feel free to send your questions to us. We are also willing to offer specific pages of the law to help you clarify questions. Just give us a little time. We are working on a voluntary basis and must also earn a living sometimes.

Pat Allen
Chairperson: SAIDI Pretoria / Tshwane
Secretary: SAIDI Gauteng

[McSack]

JFBI! (Just F@#kin' Buy It)

[Zabzoo]

JFBI! (Just F@#kin' Buy It)

How rude

[McSack]

How rude

Didn't mean to be. My point is it's much easier and less stressful to pay someone the R1500 quoted to just buy the thing. I think R1500 is cheap considering the amount of time and frustration one has to go through just to book and confirm an appointment.
I really feel sorry for the poor driving schools who's businesses are taking a bath and will add my name to the petition, however if I found myself in a situation where I needed something from either the licensing or home affairs department... I'd JFBI

[Pat Allen]

It has been possible to apply for emergency Email bookings in three cases:

1. To obtain employment (proof needed from potential employer).
2. In the case of a medical family emergency (proof from medical staff needed).
3. If your learner's licence is expiring.

We have the application forms. Last I heard was that not even this is allowed at present.
We have asked the Driver's Licence Testing Centres to give us notices of new developments and will post them on the http://saidi.co.za website. Join our mailing list if you want to stay informed.

[lion_fish]

My point is it's much easier and less stressful to pay someone the R1500 quoted to just buy the thing.

Damn the price has gone up since i got mine!

[Zabzoo]

Damn the price has gone up since i got mine!

lol

[Pat Allen]

Try and book a backup test a few days later, that way if you fail you don't have to go to the back of the queue. That's what I did, luckily because I needed it.

People used to book several tests in case they failed the first one. If they passed they forgot to cancel the others and those appointments were wasted. Now all the municipalities are linked and your id number will be listed on the system.
It will not be possible to book another back-up test until the first date has passed.
If you fail just book again.
I spoke to the Provincial Call centre yesterday.
They told me you can either put your name on the list or phone every day.
You have the option.
I see someone who signed the petition was first on the list since July(?).
That is what we are complaining about.

[Pat Allen]

I want to know how they can give a fair allocation of appointments if some people just put their name on the list and wait for an sms, and others phone every day.
How can those people get appointments when others have been on the list for ages?

[Pat Allen]

A furious driving instructor phoned me today. Apparently a certain driving school went to Centurion early yesterday morning and managed to get a whole list of available learner's license appointments. I don't know if it is true, but if it is, why were those appointments not given to people whose names are on the waiting list? That is what we are saying -there seems to be an unfair allocation of appointments.
It must be first come, first serve!

[Velenoso]

Didn't mean to be. My point is it's much easier and less stressful to pay someone the R1500 quoted to just buy the thing.

You're paying too much.

[McSack]

You're paying too much.

Agreed... did some sniffing around and was offered learners and drivers "package deal" for R500

[Zabzoo]

Ironically - this just proves the fact that change needs to happen and soon. Sooner than later!

An illegal approach should not even be an option