Computerised learners’ tests on the cards
It is also participating in a national forum proposing changes to the driving licence legislation.
Last month, the traffic and licensing services department invited the P-Cubed company, which deals in the computerised system, to visit the municipality’s facilities to see how it could adopt the new technology.
The Rossburgh testing facility in Durban is the only one in the country using it so far. P-Cubed will also do a cost estimate on the provision of the system.
"The representatives from P-Cubed were impressed with the facilities at our centres and were of the opinion that the computerised system could be easily incorporated into the current structure," traffic chief Hamilton Totoyi told the safety and security committee at the weekend.
P-Cubed had come up with valuable suggestions.
Traffic and licensing department spokesman Luncedo Njezula said some of the innovations were video surveillance and voice-recording equipment.
"The system provides valuable and tangible advantages, such as the random generation of tests for each applicant. It is a touch-screen computer system and is therefore user-friendly.
"It automatically marks the test and the applicant has access to the results immediately. The system is not open to manipulation, thereby reducing corruption," Njezula said.
It was available in various South African languages and was very efficient.
The municipality is also looking at a review of the driving licence legislation. Councillors have already asked for a relook at the K-53 system because they say many applicants are failing the test.
Assistant licensing chief Frik Terblanche said the review was not to make the test any easier, but to "make administrative processes better".
"For instance, driving schools have to be regulated as some are offering poor training which leads to failures," he said.
Terblanche said if the learners’ tests were computerised, the centre would be able to do about two more classes a day.
"Another advantage is that the system can accommodate a lot of people at any given time, thereby also reducing the backlog of people waiting for testing."
Because the marking of tests and issuing of results would all be computerised, corruption would be curbed, he said.
At present the tests could be manipulated by the examiner.
"If he likes you or if you pay him, he can make you pass because he will be responsible for the marking. With the new system, there is no manipulation as there is no direct interaction between the examiner and the applicant," Terblanche said.
At the moment, the questions and answers for the learner-driver tests were easily available, with some driving schools photocopying and selling them to applicants. But with the new system, the questions for each applicant were randomly selected, making it impossible for applicants to memorise the questions and answers. It also mean the examiner would not know beforehand which questions were to be asked.
Explaining the proposed use of one learner’s licence for all codes, Terblanche said it would save money and time as many learner drivers first did the test for light vehicles.
Another proposal was for the learner’s licence to be valid for 24 months instead of the present 18 months, Terblanche said.
At a workshop in Pretoria in January, the driver technical committee proposed changes to the legislation.
A working group consisting of transport officials from KwaZulu Natal, the department of transport and other transport organisations was formed to compile the first draft of the proposed legislation.
Some of the proposed changes are:
"It should be noted that these are still only proposals," Njezula said adding the changes should be seen as positive.
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