Cape Town - The Department of Transport says it is on track to deliver a new driving licence card and printing equipment for the country amid the initial challenges of finding a suitable service provider.
Cabinet gave the go-ahead for the department to produce a new driving licence card for the country in August 2022.
This followed the country having to send its only licence printing machine to Germany for repairs in February that year, contributing to a licence printing backlog affecting thousands of drivers.
“With the evaluation and adjudication of the bids completed, the department is almost on the brink of pronouncing a new dawn in the driving licence card environment, with the audit process being the only last hurdle standing in the way,” the department said.
The printing machine for driving licences broke down for a second time in March last year, only coming back in service three weeks later.
Spokesperson for the Department of Transport Collen Msibi at the time said the machine broke down after undergoing routine maintenance in February 2023.
Bids for a service provider was unsuccessfully advertised in November 2022, resulting in a re-advertisement on April 5, 2023.
Bid DLCA/2023/01: Provision of a Turnkey Solution for Personalisation of Smart Driving Cards in South Africa, was advertised in the government tender portal, the department said.
The bid closed on May 5, 2023, and owing to its technical complexity, the department said it requires them to adhere to prescribed supply chain management prescripts and regulations.
Five bids were received, from Renform Corporate Print Media, Nec Xon Systems (Pty) Ltd, Muehlbauer ID Services, Gemalto Altron Fintech Southern Africa, and Idemia Identity and Security – South Africa.
With the evaluation and adjudication of the bid completed, the department said it is undergoing standard and required probity/ audit processes.
It said it cannot finalise the bid process until that is completed.
“The department pleads for patience as it is prohibited by law to poke its nose into the affairs of the bidding committees.
“In compliance with the rules and regulations on tender processes, the department can therefore not be characterised as lacking transparency.
“The department will pronounce on this matter when all processes have been complete” it said.
Cape Argus