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Driving licences and learner’s licences could no longer be accepted as general identification under proposed amendments to road traffic regulations, with the Department of Transport citing fraud involving traffic register numbers as a key reason for the changes.

Department of Transport spokesperson Collen Msibi told 702 and CapeTalk that the proposed amendments aim to tighten controls over road traffic documents and align the regulations with the Identification Act.

Msibi said the department had uncovered fraudulent traffic register numbers and cases in which certificates were being misused, including to open bank accounts.

The proposals could have implications for people who use their driving licences as identification at banks, residential estates, offices and airports.

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Why the department wants to change the rules

Msibi said an investigation conducted with the Department of Home Affairs and the Special Investigating Unit (SIU) had uncovered fraudulent traffic register numbers, while some certificates were dormant.

“Sadly, some of these traffic register number certificates were issued by corrupt officials within our system,” he said.

The department is asking people to verify whether their traffic register numbers are valid. Msibi said certificates that are not verified could be cancelled, adding that the investigation could be extended to cover older traffic register numbers to establish whether they were issued appropriately and remained valid.

He said the department was also seeking to address the misuse of traffic register number certificates to open bank accounts, which he said could leave banks unaware that documents presented to them were fraudulent.

“We’re basically trying to clean up the system,” Msibi said.

Msibi argued that driving licences were issued to establish that a person was eligible to drive, rather than to serve as general identification.

“When we issue a license, it is not about a form of identification to start with. It is about you driving a vehicle to produce a license that you are eligible to be able to drive on the road,” he said.

He also questioned why residential estates required visitors to produce driving licences when they had identity documents.

“Since when did the estates become the traffic department?” he asked.

Msibi said people should use identification documents issued by Home Affairs when they need to identify themselves, including when accessing residential estates and offices.

He also specifically mentioned airports, saying passengers should produce their identity documents when obtaining boarding passes rather than relying on driving licences.

The proposed amendments have not yet been confirmed as being in force, and the interview did not establish a date on which any changes would take effect.

When will the proposed changes take effect?

Msibi said the department had written to the National Assembly and the National Council of Provinces (NCOP) to inform them of the proposed changes.

He said publication of the amendments for public comment was now in Parliament’s hands.

“We give it about 30 days,” he said, referring to the public comment period.

After that period, the department would incorporate the changes, Msibi said.

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