The National Department of Transport has taken a significant step towards reducing the risk of counterfeit driving licences by appointing a preferred bidder to produce new smart driving licence cards.
The appointment of IDEMIA Identity and Security, South Africa was approved on 8, August 2024, following a thorough evaluation and adjudication process.
Cohen Msibi, the department’s spokesperson said, “The new licence card will incorporate advanced security features to eliminate the risks of fraud and corruption.”
The decision to manufacture new licence cards centrally was aimed at reducing costs and minimising the risk of fraud and corruption. The department received five bids in response to a tender advertisement in April 2023.
The Introduction of new smart driving licence cards is a significant milestone in the department’s efforts to improve road safety and reduce fraud. This move is expected to bring South Africa in line with international standards for driving licences, making it easier to prevent and detect fraudulent activities.
The public will be informed of the timeframes for the rollout once the service agreement has been signed.
It’s about time. Fraud and corruption is too much in our country.