Phiwokuhle Mothemela
Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality and the Road Traffic Management Corporation (RTMC) have introduced a first-of-its-kind Smart Enrolment Unit (SEU) at the Motherwell Driving License Test Centre on Thursday.
According to the municipality, the SEU is intended to enhance service delivery at the traffic department for customers wanting to renew and apply for driver's license cards.
Speaking on behalf of RTMC Neelesh Badasie said this new system does away with long lines, and carrying of ID photos and a lot of cash when renewing once license.
"Historically, people would need to take leave from work just to renew their driver's license, those days are now over."
Badasie says everything will be digitised and verified with the Department of Home Affairs.
He also said the intention is to completely replace the Live Enrolment Units, currently in use, to improve greater efficiency.
Long queues are now a thing of the past as NMBM Motherwell DLTC today launched a new Smart Enrolment Unit Pilot project (SEU) which makes license renewals efficient and cost effective.https://t.co/hC4MLOcuA6 pic.twitter.com/WwiLdcNFe4
— Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality (@NMandelaBaymuni) August 1, 2024
While the LEU machine was a stand alone machine, resulting in customers going from one queue to another, the SEU machines will be able to handle all transactions necessary to produce a driver’s
license card.
Mayoral Committee Member for Safety and Security, Stag Mitchell said the rollout of the new machines is a continuation of efforts by the Traffic Department to eradicate long queues and make it more pleasant for consumers to get help.
"Over the last five years, the Head of Traffic and Licensing, Warren Prins, and his team have worked hard to improve efficiency at our traffic department by introducing the online booking system, regular communication with consumers, and getting this department up and running," Mitchell added.
The Kariega and Korsten Traffic Departments are next in line for SEUs.
A client at the traffic centre to renew his driver's license, Xola Mnyaka, praised the new system's efficiency.
"Everything was done in less than 15 minutes, and I did not wait," he said.
