Major South African digital driving licence update
South Africa has experienced its fair share of driving licence issues, but this could be a game-changer.
The only driver’s licence printer in the country had been out of operation since February 2025, when it was announced that it would be fixed in May.
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This has resulted in a backlog of 747,748 outstanding cards that need to be printed.
Since being back in operation, the backlog has dropped to just over 500,000, but that is still a significant amount, and if you are waiting for your licence, you are waiting for a while.
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According to Jacaranda FM Newswatch, transport spokesperson Collen Msibi says working hours at the Driving Licence Card Agency have been extended to address the backlog.
Now, there might be a better solution on the horizon.
South Africans could soon say goodbye to a physical plastic driver’s licence card.
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BusinessTech reports that the Presidency has created a new team who have already built a working digital driving licence in only three months.
The Digital Service Unit (DSU), established to support the government’s digital transformation strategy, is leading the project and collaborating with the Department of Transportation.
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This system forms part of the broader changes we are seeing in the modernisation of service delivery in SA, which also includes the MyMzansi app designed to serve as a single entry point for government services.
Together, they used open-sourced digital public goods to develop the digital driving licence software.
This will help ensure the system can be scaled and integrated across various government platforms.
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The system is still undergoing testing, but once launched, applicants will be able to apply, verify their identity, pay and store their driver's licence through one single mobile app called MyMzansi.
No more visits to driver's licence centres, no physical cards required and no waiting periods.
Civil society and experts have long argued that South Africa should have transitioned to digital licencing years ago.
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According to BusinessTech, road safety expert and Driving.co.za managing director Rob Handfield-Jones has been one of the most vocal advocates for eliminating physical licence cards and discs.
Drivers already have unique biometric identifiers, and every vehicle has a unique Vehicle Identification Number (VIN).
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Handfield-Jones suggested that enforcement officers could check a motorist’s information through an app, similarly to how the South African Revenue Service manages tax through digital platforms.
He also stated that there are no technological or practical barriers to transitioning fully to digital.
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Still, the real resistance might lie in the Road Traffic Management Corporation’s reluctance to adopt new production methods.
Positives of the digital driver's licence:
- It could help resolve many of the persistent issues related to SA's licensing system, such as backlogs, printer breakdowns, long queues, and widespread administrative delays.
- It could significantly lower current government spending on card printers and the production of plastic cards.
- No need to complete an eye test at a licensing centre, motorists will be able to visit participating optometrists, who will provide them with a QR code containing their results to upload during the application process.
- It could dramatically improve turnaround times: no waiting for weeks or months for a card to be printed, a licence is issued in minutes.
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The necessary technology already exists in South Africa, and the DSU has demonstrated how the new system will work.
DSU deputy head Richard Gevers demonstrated how motorists’ identities are verified using facial biometrics and how the system directly links to NaTIS, processes payments, and generates a valid digital licence, complete with its own scannable QR code.
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