OPINION - Munsamy Pillay should have known better than to wait until just three weeks were left before his driver’s licence was set to expire, before applying at Rossburgh Testing Ground to have it renewed.
Now, three months later, he is still waiting for the card to be delivered.
We appreciate that computer systems will play up from time to time, and cause delays.
But we also expect that those affected by these glitches will be informed of the delay and steps being taken to rectify the matter.
In Munsamy’s case, it was not until he inquired four weeks after applying that he was told his application was not processed because the system could not read the image taken at the testing centre.
He was told there was a strike at the company printing the licences, then that he had to get another image taken, then that there was no record of him making an application.
With time passing and no licence arriving, Munsamy applied for a temporary licence, which is processed at the testing centre.
The Transport Department says the problem has been resolved and people should begin to receive their licences. However, people should get temporary licences in the meantime, at R90 a pop, in addition to the R250 for the licence renewal.
Surely the card-printing company should bear the cost of the temporary licences?