DEAR Editor,-
Recent Close-Out reports tabled at a Kwa-Zulu Natal Finance portfolio committee revealed that vehicle owners continue paying the highest tariffs countrywide for vehicle licences.
To add insult to injury, KZN’s Department of Transport (DoT) has also stopped posting licence renewal reminders, causing a major uproar from motorists who’ve had to pay exorbitant penalties for late renewals.
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The issue was recently raised in KZN legislature with the Democratic Alliance tabling a motion calling on Transport MEC Mxolisi Kaunda to reinstate posting of licence reminders as a courtesy to motorists, and to urgently review the province’s current vehicle licence tariff.
We do not believe that motorists and vehicle owners are being treated fairly.
Many drivers are being left out of pocket after paying huge amounts in licence renewal penalties, with the majority acknowledging the transgression and making payment after being stopped by law enforcement officers.
KZN’s vehicle owners also pay more for vehicle licences than any other province.
Despite a task team comprising provincial treasury and national having been formed this year to explore ways to standardise tariffs for licences, there’s still no change.
The current situation is a slap in the face to KZN’s motorists.
Not only are they forced to pay penalties and higher licensing fees, they’re also on the receiving end of fewer government services each day, including a complete lack of road maintenance.
The department’s original decision to do away with the reminder service was allegedly based on associated costs.
Yet, according to the department’s 2018/19 Close Out Report, KZN’s Motor Licencing Department collected R1 764 billion through licence fees.
This is higher than the budgeted R1 694 billion, with the over-collection due to higher than anticipated applications for new and renewals of vehicle licences.
Given this massive surplus, there is no good reason for why the DoT should not be able to reintroduce the reminder service.
The DA has called on MEC Kaunda to investigate this, along with cheaper, more advanced methods like sms’s, WhatsApp messages or emails to send out reminders.
The MEC needs to act in the interests of the people he serves and find out why the task team is not delivering regarding tariffs.
MEC Kaunda must review both situations and report back to the province’s transport portfolio committee as a matter of urgency.
SHARON HOOSEN, MPL
DA KZN Spokesperson on Transport
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