WATCH: Hostile reception for Mbalula as driving schools demand scrapping of online bookings

Mbalula went to Akasia to conduct an oversight visit at the licensing centre. 

It's been over two weeks since driving schools in and around Tshwane began protesting over the new system.  

The protests also come amid allegations that staff at the centre’s have been intimidated with firearms. 

Affected licensing stations include Mabopane, Temba, Centurion, Rayton, Wstloo and Bronkhorstspruit.

Leader of a group of instructors in Mabopane Stanley Mabena said the department should revert back to accepting walk-ins as the online system is inaccessible to most South Africans. 

When Mbalula arrived at the centre, driving school members labelled him a “thief”. 

He was escorted into the centre by a heavy police guard where he addressed the media on the issues raised with the online system. 

CEO of the Road Transport Management Corporation Makhosini Msibi has refuted claims that the systemisn’t functional.

“The driving schools have been up in arms in terms of the process of the online system. They are alleging that we have been taking the rights of their clients away because if we say that their clients can go and transact away, we are cutting out the middleman. They have made an allegation too that there are people who are illiterate but it is a common factor that all senior citizens should go straight to the DLTCs.”

Mbalula has vowed to meet with driving schools before the end of the week to come up with a solution to some of the issues raised.