JOHANNESBURG - An new online booking system for driver licence renewals has been launched in Tshwane.
The Online Company South Africa is the system provider and it is in use in Akasia, Waltloo, Centurion and Bronkhorstspruit.
This new system allows users to make an appointment to renew their driver's licence and also offers a delivery service that will deliver you a new card to you through MDS Collivery.
Anton van der Merwe, owner of the Online Company South Africa said: "To resolve the 5-year cycle peaks the time for online appointments made sense to enhance service delivery. The courier delivery option is intended to offer convenience for those who cannot afford the time wasted to return and queue again for the collection".
The fee for delivery depends on your location. To deliver to the majority of Gauteng costs R96,45 and delivery to places like Hartbeespoort Dam and Vereeniging costs R414,41. Delivery to Rustenberg costs R204,34.
There is no fee attached to making a booking and there is also the option to pick up your new card instead of having it delivered to you.
Those that use the online system to book their appointment cannot pay for their licence renewal through the online system. They would have to pay for the renewal when they go for their appointment.
"In respect of the fee to renew no payment is as yet accepted via online. However, this option is clearly needed as our online support-desk is flooded with requests from clients to do so. There is no doubt that such payments are the modern way to go. The option will be negotiated in the near future," said van der Merwe.
The price to renew your driver's licence is currently R228 and a temporary licence is R72.
The process of going to renew your drivers will be different too. If you book your appointment, you don't have to stand in the queue, instead the client will approach the main entrance to let the people at the licensing office know that they are there for their appointment.
There will be no eye testing, those seeking to renew their licences will have to take an optometrist certificate along with them.
The online booking system does not issue Professional Driving Permits and the systems provider has no plans of offering any extra services on the site.
The new booking system comes after Nelson Mandela Bay booking system for licence renewals rolled out earlier this year. This system allows motorist book appointments by telephone or through machines installed at the Uitenhage and Korsten centres.
The introduction of an online booking system for driver's licence renewals comes after Tshwane testing centres break-ins which caused a lot of disruptions.