A number of service centres have introduced extended weekend operating hours to assist clients while managing COVID-19 protocols in the workplace. Read more below:
The City of Cape Town has introduced weekend services at some of its Driving License Testing Centres (DLTCs) to assist clients with renewal of driving licenses and completing learner and driving license tests, among others.
DLTCs started reopening from 9 June 2020, after being closed to the public in terms of the national COVID-19 lockdown.
Since then, numerous centres have had to suspend operations due to COVID-19 exposure, but most have since reopened.
‘It has been a trying time for our licensing and administrative section since we reopened the doors to the public. Not only have staff had to prioritise learner license and driving license appointments that were affected by the lockdown closure, but they have also had to familiarise themselves with an entirely different way of doing things to ensure their own safety, but also that of the public. It is unfortunate that, where DLTCs have had to close in line with the City’s workplace directives in terms of the pandemic, there’ve been further delays, but we are working to ensure that appointments can be rescheduled as speedily as possible,’ said the City’s Mayoral Committee Member for Safety and Security, Alderman JP Smith.
All services have been resumed at DLTCs, including:
- Renewal of driving licenses
- Renewal of Professional Driving Permits (PrDPs)
- Applications for duplicate learner licenses
- Foreign driving license conversions
Motorists are also reminded that there is a 90-day grace period for driving licenses and PrDPs that expired between 26 March 2020 and 31 May 2020. The grace period expires at the end of August 2020.
However, until further notice, the DLTCs are not accepting NEW appointments for learner licenses and driving license tests as they are prioritising appointments that could not be honoured during the lockdown.
‘The unfortunate implication is that learner licenses that expire during the period where no new bookings are being accepted will have to be reapplied for. This is out of the City’s hands, as DLTCs are governed by national regulations and we cannot make allowances for additional grace periods as have been requested by some members of the public.
‘We have however put measures in place to extend our operating hours at most of our DLTCs so that we can work through more transactions and hopefully reduce the number of people who would be impacted by the expiry of learner licenses in particular,’ added Alderman Smith.
The City’s 18 Driving License Testing Centres are open between 08:00 and 15:30 on weekdays.
During July, a number of centres are open from 08:00 until 15:00 on Saturdays and 08:00 and 13:00 on Sundays to assist with the following functions:
- Driving licence renewals
- Learner licence tests
- Card collections
- Payments of fines/warrants
- Tow-aways & impoundments
On Sundays there will be NO driving licence tests.
The centres offering extended services are:
Goodwood, Elsies Rivier, Durbanville, Parow, Brackenfell, Bellville, Gallows Hill, Milnerton, Atlantis, Fish Hoek, New Ottery, Hillstar, Joe Gqabi, Eastridge
A list of Frequently Asked Questions is available here: https://tinyurl.com/y7n8poct
End
Issued by: Media Office, City of Cape Town
Note to broadcasters: audio clips are available for download
For English: https://soundcloud.com/ct-media/08072020-smith-dltcs
For Afrikaans: https://soundcloud.com/ct-media/08072020-afr-smith-dltcs
Media enquiries: Alderman JP Smith, Mayoral Committee Member for Safety and Security, City of Cape Town, Tel: 021 400 1311 or Cell: 083 675 3780, Email: jean-pierre.smith@capetown.gov.za (please always copy media.account@capetown.gov.za)