Fin24 reports that according to Minister of Transport Blade Nzimande, his department’s production team was "working overtime" to clear a backlog of close to 200,000 driving licence cards.  

In a reply to a parliamentary question, Nzimande indicated that the delay in issuing licenses had been caused by a systems upgrade to production machinery, and also a 2018 labour dispute by the employees producing the cards.  Employees embarked on a five-month strike last year, stopping the production of cards and creating the backlog.  At issue during the strike had been the department's decision to outsource a contract with Prodiba for licence card production.  The Driving Licence Card Account eventually opted to in-source card production and the strike ended in December.  Members of the public have complained of prolonged delays in the issuing of licenses.  "The production team worked overtime to address the backlog.  In January, there was a backlog of 250,000 cards, which was addressed on February.  As at March, there was a backlog of 194,000, cards which was caused by a delay in the delivery of material.  This backlog will be addressed by April," Nzimande indicated.

• Read the full original of Khulekani Magubane’s report on this story at Fin24

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