January 18, 2006
By Tshepiso Seopa
RENEWING your driving licence should be a breeze now that there are more licence renewal centres. And making the application should take less than 20 minutes.
However, drivers are advised to renew their licenses at least two months before they expire as it can take up to six weeks for their new licence to be issued.
At the centres, an eye test is done, fingerprints are taken and new forms are filled in – in about 10 minutes. The costs are R143 for ordering the new licence card, R39 for a temporary driving licence and R30 for four photos.
Edna Mamonyane, the spokesperson for the Johannesburg Metropolitan Police Department, said, "The increasing of licence renewal centres is an effort by the City to cut long queues and make the process easy and quick.
"Testing stations are open from 7.30am till 3pm, Monday to Friday. It is compulsory for applicants to bring their identity documents with them. If these have been misplaced they can use their South African passports.
"In the case of a lost licence card, an applicant should bring their identity document or passport, an affidavit from a police station and four black and white photos."
Driving licence renewals can be done at the following centres:
- Langlaagte Testing Station: Main Reef Road, Crown Mines, opposite Like-New Glass Works. Tel: 011 837 5527.
- Bank City: Spec-savers, 55 Harrison Street, between Kerk and Pritchard streets, CBD. Tel: 011 838 5718.
- Roodeport Testing Station: corner Hamburg Street and West Lake Avenue, Florida. Tel: 011 470 3821 or 011 672 2100.
- Westgate Testing Station: Westgate Shopping Centre, Ontdekkers Road, Florida. Tel: 011 768 0501 or 011 768 0502.
- Midrand Testing Station: corner Dale Street and Rainbow Bridge, Glen Austin. Tel: 011 256 8570 or 011 545 0900.
- Randburg Testing Station: 3 Hans Strijdom Drive corner Schoeman Street, Randburg. Tel: 011 791 3480 or 011 793 3792.
- Randburg Civic Centre: corner Hendrick Verwoerd Drive and Jan Smuts Avenue, Randburg. Tel: 011 886 0778 or 011 886 2293.
- Randburg Fourways: Spec-savers, shop G48, Fourways Crossing Shopping Centre, Fourways. Tel: 011 467 8239.
- Sandton Testing Station: 8th Street, Marlboro Gardens, Marlboro. Tel: 011 321 6369 or 011 321 6340.
Traffic fines are payable at 22 Loveday Street, corner Village street, Wemmer Complex. For more information, call 011 490 1500 or 011 490 1600.
Mamonyane said metro police experienced problems with people who had foreign driving licenses. "Before a person can obtain a South African licence, permanent residency must be established."
Once this has been granted, the following documents must be taken to a testing station: a valid identity document; a national driving licence that must be valid for at least three months before expiry; a confirmation letter from the person's embassy or consulate that must be dated within three working months from the date of issue; four black and white photos and a translation letter of the applicant's foreign licence.
Mamonyane said R143 was charged and no temporary permits or refugee status would be accepted.
"Exchanges are done on Mondays and Tuesdays between 7.30am and 2pm – and they are done only at Langlaagte Testing Station."
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