Johannesburg – Chaotic, crisis-ridden and disastrous is how to best elucidate the existing status quo in driving licence testing centres (DLTCs).
This amid a myriad challenges confronting most DLTCs that have in turn hampered the processing and issuing of driving licences and related licensing documents. The Covid-19 and its associated lockdowns was initially blamed for such interruptions, however, Transport Minister Fikile Mbalula has since reiterated and acknowledged corruption in some DLTCs as the main cause, with a stern undertaking to bring perpetrators to book.
December last year saw an amendment to some lockdown regulations, with a publication that learner’s licences, driving licence cards, temporary driving licences and professional driving permits that expired between March 26 and December 31 2020 would be valid until August 31 2021.
Looking at the slow progress made since the proclamation of the eight-month grace period, it’s quite evident that responsible officials are not privy to the golden circle concept proposed by Simon Sinek in his book Start with Why. Sinek postulates that nearly all organisations have clarity on what they do, however, very few can adequately articulate their reason for existence.
The golden circle concept, therefore, seeks to empower organisations with the ability to understand why they do what they do. Staring with why would enable the Transport Department to better understand its customers and in turn develop specialised products and services that will greatly improve overall customer experience and satisfaction.
In spite of interim measures proposed by the department, including inter alia; dedicating 70% capacity towards clearing the backlog; designating 70% of the online booking systems towards the backlog; and increasing operating hours; there is still little progress made and, as such, heightening customer dissatisfaction. Such delays have since had an impact on motor vehicle sales, with a growing number of declined finance applications mostly due to missing documentation, and an inability for new owners to insure their vehicles.
Furthermore, the automotive industry is highly dependent on municipal licensing departments to license and register roadworthy and dealer stock vehicles.
As dire as it may seem, such challenges can be resolved through repurposing, capacitating and maximising existing public sector premises with similar or related infrastructure, amenities and technologies.
A consideration would be to identify institutions of higher learning such as universities and FET colleges to repurpose their existing student registration systems for clearing the backlog. Another alternative would be to reuse the state-of the- art infrastructure built in some stadia, nationally, as part of the 2010 Fifa World Cup.
In Gauteng, which is largely hit, using the e-tolling premises would be a viable alternative and these can, in turn, charge rental fees.
The fact that most of these premises already have the required infrastructure in place makes them better placed to assist the department.
What would be required is software installation, training and enhanced security.
• Gwala is enterprise data governance manger at Alexander Forbes. He writes in his personal capacity.
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