VANDERBIJLPARK – Frustration is mounting among local motor dealers as ongoing service delivery failures continue to cripple licensing operations across the Sedibeng District Municipality.

According to Tessa Pienaar, chairperson of the Vaal Triangle Dealership Forum and dealer principal at Mahindra Vaal, the district’s licensing offices were once again forced to close this week—this time reportedly due to a shortage of toner. It follows months of repeated disruptions caused by a lack of paper, electricity and water supply problems, and poor maintenance.

Pienaar said the situation has reached breaking point. “This is the umpteenth month in a row. It’s leaving the motor industry in the Vaal in a complete mess. It’s going to put us out of business,” she told Vaalweekblad.

In a strongly worded letter sent to the Minister of Transport, the Gauteng MEC for Transport Kedibone Diale-Tlabela, and several industry bodies including NADA and RMI, Pienaar appealed for urgent intervention. She said the Forum, established in 2013 and affiliated with the Golden Triangle Chamber of Commerce, has repeatedly stepped in to provide paper, toner and even extension cords to keep services running.

Despite these efforts, she claims that late payments to service providers and a lack of accountability within the municipality have led to repeated shutdowns. The latest closure, on 3 November, left dealerships unable to register vehicles or submit documentation to banks—delaying sales and affecting cash flow across the region.

By Friday afternoon, a group of frustrated community members reportedly gathered outside the Vanderbijlpark licensing offices in protest.

The Sedibeng District Municipality has not yet responded to requests for comment.