CAPE TOWN - The Road Traffic Management Corporation (RTMC) has called on the Automobile Association (AA) to “stop misleading and confusing members of the public” regarding fees attached to driving licences.
The AA in a statement, said it noted that “online renewal of driver licences will in future cost R250”.
They said in addition, the cost of driving licence renewals varies across provinces, with motorists in provinces such as Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal paying significantly more than those in provinces such as the Western Cape.
“The AA says it stands by its earlier assessment that the published fees demonstrate a lack of sensitivity to the current plight of motorists who simply cannot renew their driving licences.
“The proposals include a charge to motorists of R250 for online bookings to renew driving licences (for the booking only, excluding the actual cost of the licence), R700 for online registrations of motor vehicles, and R700 for online change of ownership of motor vehicles. These fees are additional to so-called transaction fees of R72 for every transaction performed at the RTMC and R99 for the delivery of driving licence cards,” the AA said.
But the RTMC said it noted the statement with extreme concern.
“It is categorically denied that the charge is an additional fee levied simply to book a space online,” the RTMC said.
“Driving licence card holders are already paying this fee when renewing their credit card format driving licences at the licensing centres. It is money paid for the production of the credit card format driving licence.
“The proposed change seeks to make it convenient for driving licence card holders to make this payment online when making a booking to renew driving licence cards.
“The R72 transaction fee has been in existence for many years and has not been changed in more than three years.
“We call on OUTA and its allies; including the AA to stop misleading and confusing members of the public in this way, but to join us in efforts to improve service delivery at licensing centres.”
Cape Times