LOUIS TRICHARDT – With only two working days remaining to convert driver's licences to the new credit-card format licence, the Makhado Municipality is prepared to face a possible rush of drivers trying to meet the deadline of April 30.

The Director of Community Services, Mr Mavhungu Musitha said on Wednesday that the Department of Traffic and Licences would help all applicants before the deadline.

"Our motto is - We don't close until we serve the last person, even if that means that we stay open till late hours," said Mr Musitha.

During the February rush, when drivers attempted to meet the previous deadline of February 28, licensing offices countrywide had reached full capacity when they processed 45 000 applications per day or about 220 000 per week.

At the Makhado Municipality licensing office full capacity was reached at the end of February when 360 licences were processed during a lengthened workday. The licensing officers worked from 07:00 till midnight. On a normal 08:00 to 16:00 workday full capacity constituted about 200 licences per day.

Mr Musitha said that until Wednesday, 469 applications for new licences were processed during April and 631 during March. They did not experience an increase in the number of applications for conversions.

"Only 1 100 conversions were processed since the government extended the deadline to April 30. That is on average about 60 per day," Mr Musitha said. He disclosed that more than half of the applicants are from outside the Makhado Municipal area, for instance from Thohoyandou and Sekgosese. He added that the licensing office would be open on Saturday, April 26.

It was not possible for the Director of Community Services to give estimation of how many drivers in the area still have to convert their licences. It also had to be kept in mind that drivers with licences issued by the former TBVC homelands and are not on the system have an extension till September 1.

It is estimated that more than one million drivers nationwide still have to convert their licences to the new credit-card format licence. If the maximum capacity of the licensing offices of 45 000 per day are taken into consideration, this could leave more than half a million drivers without valid licences by April 30.

Last week, Acting Transport Minister Jeff Radebe warned that no further extensions would be granted for motorists to convert their licences. The transport department advertised in the media to remind those who had forgotten about the deadline. The possibility of another extension was definitely ruled out.

Senior National Transport Official, Lisa Mangcu this month warned motorists who failed to meet the April 30 deadline that they will have to forfeit their right to drive. Anyone caught driving without the new licence after April 30 could be fined up to R14 000.

Problems also face drivers who converted their licences in March 1998 when the transport department introduced the credit card format to be implemented over a period of five years. These drivers are already due for renewal this month. It is estimated that 6.5 million drivers will have to apply for renewal every five years. At the local municipality Mr Musitha said that a contingency plan would be put in place when cases like those emerge.

The whole credit card format licence system was introduced to facilitate more effective traffic policing and management. Detrimental acts of offending drivers would be effectively recorded. The conversion was also instituted to help combat fraudulently issued licences.