US EditionGauteng High Court Nullifies Driving Licence Card Printing Machine Contract
The interim printing arrangement with Government Printing Works prevents licence card backlogs after over 750,000 cards piled up due to ageing printer breakdowns, officials said.
- Gauteng High Court quashed the procurement outcome and set aside the tender for a new licence card printer, allowing interim printing while the Department of Transport re-advertises within 30 days.
- Transport Minister Barbara Creecy ordered a probe after taking office in 2024 following Auditor‑General concerns, and an investigation found problems with how the tender was handled.
- Under a temporary arrangement, the Government Printing Works will print driving licence cards, with secure data transfer now enabled between the Road Traffic Management Corporation and GPW to support interim printing.
- The Department of Transport says the measure aims to prevent new backlogs after more than 750 000 licence cards piled up earlier in 2025, so motorists should face fewer short-term delays.
- The court required the tender to be re‑advertised within 30 days, delaying replacement of the single, ageing licence‑card printer while a cabinet process will soon begin to approve the new design.
11 Articles
11 Articles
Here's what’s changing with driving licence cards in South Africa
The Department of Transport (DoT) has confirmed progress on an interim solution to keep driving licence cards being printed in South Africa, after a court ruling set aside the tender for a new licence printing machine. The High Court has ordered the department to re-advertise the tender within 30 days, further delaying the replacement of the country’s single, ageing licence card printer, which has a long history of breakdowns. Why licence cards …
High Court pulls plug on smart driving license tender; here's how it affects motorists
By Marcus MolokoThe North Gauteng High Court has scrapped the Department of Transport’s R898 million tender for new smart driving licence cards, citing irregularities.Motorists could face delays, possible backlogs and continued reliance on outdated licence cards until a new tender process is completed.In August 2024, the Department of Transport awarded French biometric security firm IDEMIA Identity and Security SA a contract worth R898 million t…
SA High Court Scraps R898m Idemia Licence Tender
The High Court in Pretoria has declared the appointment of Idemia Identity and Security South Africa for the R898 million driving licence card tender as irregular and invalid. The court ordered the Department of Transport to re-advertise the tender within 30 days, while authorizing the department to temporarily outsource production to the Department of Home Affairs and Government Printing Works. Why was the Idemia tender ruled unlawful? The cour…
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