Members of driving schools stage protest outside Pretoria testing centre

Members of various driving schools around Pretoria staged a peaceful protest outside the Waltloo licensing centre on Friday morning.

The protesters blocked the entrance with trucks and vehicles as they demanded to be addressed by the Tshwane metro and the transport department.

National Driving School Association of South Africa (NDSASA) members were demanding that the online licence booking system be scrapped completely.

National chairperson of NDSASA Abel Mositsa said the online system was a disadvantage for a majority of people.

“We are losing a lot of clients at the moment because many of them have been frustrated by the backlog. The system is getting pressured because the licensing department only offer online bookings on Tuesdays,” he said.

“We ask the department to at least extend the online booking to two or three times a week. If not, then the online system should be scrapped.”

Mositsa said more slots needed to open, especially in Centurion and Waltloo centres.

“At the moment, they have only two examiners in Centurion and Waltloo, while other stations around Tshwane have 10 or more. That needs to change to accommodate walk-ins because the eNatis system is not working,” he said.

Tshwane roads and transport MMC Dikeledi Selowa said the main reason the online system was introduced was to reduce queues at centres.

“I agree that the eNatis online booking system is failing. The slots are not managed by the city; we release the slots and they (department of road and transport) disperse them. I am aware that you are unable to manage your finances because of not being able to get a slot for your clients.”

Selowa said a memorandum of demands from the NDSASA was sent to the department.