New driving licence cards for South Africa approved

Cabinet has approved the replacement of the current Driving Licence Card to a one with more secure design features. The current system has been in operation since 1998.

In a statement on Thursday, cabinet said the technology has since evolved and it is becoming expensive to maintain the current infrastructure.

“The new proposed card will make the country’s driving licence compatible with the International Information Technology Personal Identification Compliant Driving Licence (ISO18013),” cabinet said.

In February, transport minister Fikile Mbalula announced that department planned to introduce a new driving licence card in South Africa from October 2023.

Speaking in a media briefing held at the time, Mbalula said the new card would feature a number of security enhancements and international recognition – meaning it could be used as a form of identification.

Read: Driving licences and discs can now be renewed online

He said that following cabinet approval, the transport department would start a procurement process, with the new licence card expected to be piloted in October 2023.

The minister said that the current card will be phased out over a five-year period, with the government also looking at extending the renewal period of the card from five to 10 years.

Get the latest South African tech news