New driving licence machines to cost R334 million each

Daniel Puchert

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South Africa spending R1 billion on new driving licence card machines

South Africa's new driving licence card machines will cost the country R334 million each, and when they break down, repairs will be completed locally instead of shipping the machines to Germany.

These details were revealed in Transport Minister Barbara Creecy's response to parliamentary questions from Rise Mzanzi MP Makashule Gana. She also revealed that the country will be getting three new machines.
 
You gotta give it to SA's politicians.

When it comes to wasting an ailing country's finances they are at the front of the line proving that they don't feel anything for the masses that cannot afford to put food on the table.

Another recent example:

https://www.citizen.co.za/news/south-africa/traditional-leaders-new-vehicle-province-cash/

What is the motivation that we still require physical cards?

If you can afford a car, petrol and insurance you can also afford a basic smartphone which can display the license.

Why are we not following the rest of the world's example?
 
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Will the new cards at least look less better than our current ones?
 
Someone's having a laugh ...
 
The mind Boggles.
Heidelberg Speedmaster 10 Colour XL 106 perfecta is about R50 Million.

Whats the real price.
Probably 5 Million each.
 
You gotta give it to SA's politicians.

When it comes to wasting an ailing country's finances they are at the front of the line proving that they don't feel anything for the masses that cannot afford to put food on the table.

Another recent example:

https://www.citizen.co.za/news/south-africa/traditional-leaders-new-vehicle-province-cash/

What is the motivation that we still require physical cards?

If you can afford a car, petrol and insurance you can also afford a basic smartphone which can display the license.

Why are we not following the rest of the world's example?
You don't even need to. All vehicle registrations are recorded centrally. Every drivers license has the person's ID recorded centrally. They can just run a biometric check and it's all there.
 
You don't even need to. All vehicle registrations are recorded centrally. Every drivers license has the person's ID recorded centrally. They can just run a biometric check and it's all there.
It is so simple it is stupid.

Just have a QR code lookup/ with an id number as a backup as an input. Require biometric authentication on the user in order to make the lookup, and said lookup is then recorded in the db.

Now you get the following:
1) You have proof of exactly who looked up a person's details via the system, so you can trace any data leaks that may be associated with the account.
2) You don't need to spend R1bn on a redundant card printer.
 
IRequire biometric authentication on the user in order to make the lookup, and said lookup is then recorded in the db
Something unique, secure and robust like fingerprint scanning.
 
Licence - noun.
License - verb.

You know, like practice/advice and practise/advise.

My bugbears are developing bugbears.

It depends on whether you are speaking American or British English.

https://prowritingaid.com/licence-vs-license#:~:text=If%20you're%20American%2C%20license,license%20is%20the%20verb%20form.

  • Noun
    In American English, the spelling is "license" for both the noun and the verb. In British English, the spelling is "licence" for the noun and "license" for the verb.
 
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