Times Of Swaziland: NEW DRIVER’S LICENCE REQUIREMENTS COULD SEE JOB LOSSES

NEW DRIVER’S LICENCE REQUIREMENTS COULD SEE JOB LOSSES
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Thokozani Mazibuko on 23/09/2023 06:48:00


MBABANE - If the basis of your employment is a driving licence, then you should
brace yourself for tough times, as government is in a bid to apply stiff
measures concerning their acquisition.
Moreover, the driver’s licence document will have an expiry date and will
require re-testing if the individual has a desire to renew it. These new
developments, according to Principal Secretary (PS) in the Ministry of Public
Works, Thulani Mkhaliphi, if they are eventually endorsed through legislation by
government, would require all licence holders to go back to the testing room to
receive a  new one.
Relied
PS Mkhaliphi pointed out to Eswatini News that it is not only for the driving
licence acquisitions, but it will also be a tool that will be used and relied
upon when it comes to the behaviour of drivers on the country’s roads. It is
said that every time you would commit an offence while behind the steering wheel
of a moving car, you will lose points on your driver’s licence in the process.
The PS further disclosed that the Eswatini Road Safety Council had already
submitted a proposal to the Ministry of Public Works over the adaptation of
systems which is already in use in the rest of the world. “I cannot confirm
much on this development as you know that I am an outgoing minister, but then
the incoming incumbent will be the one who will be handling the said matter,”
the minister said.
When  engaged  the PS, Thulani Mkhaliphi, who also confirmed that indeed there
were developments of this nature and at the same time, he brought more clarity
on what really, government has set out to accomplish by the exercise.
“Government has already issued requests for proposals for service providers to
mordenise and align our systems with those that are being in the rest of the
world and beside it is not on this only aspect of drivers licence but the scope
is of wide nature as the entire system need to be fixed or to say mordenised,”
PS Mkhaliphi clarified.
Record
About the mordenising of the systems, the PS said under these yet to be adopted
and applied schemes, a driver licensing authority, police force, or other
organisation keeps a record of the demerit points accumulated by drivers. The PS
went on to state that when the prescribed point threshold is reached, the
person’s license would usually be automatically revoked or suspended. He said
that points may either be added or subtracted, depending on the rules of each
scheme.
A major offence may lead to more than the maximum allowed points being issued.
This was also confirmed by Minister of Public Works, Chief Ndlaluhlaza Ndwandwe,
who said it was true that a proposal was forwarded by the council, however, he
pointed out that there has to be amendments of the Road Traffic Act, which has
to go through Parliament.
Meanwhile, points are typically applied after a driving offense has been
committed, and the license is revoked for a defined time, or after other
conditions are met. If the total exceeds the threshold, the offender may be
disqualified from driving, or the driving license may be revoked. After the
license suspension period has expired, the previous demerit points are
cancelled.
“The primary purpose of such point systems is to identify, determine, and
penalise repeat traffic offenders, while streamlining the legal process. It will
no longer be easy to get a licence for an individual. Tough tests will be
required and even in the event the driver’s licence has expired, one has to
undergo the tough tests and has to pass to be granted another licence,” PS
Mkhaliphi said.
Moreover, the PS pointed out that it was high time for Eswatini to have these
systems that safeguard and the same time monitor, examine the behaviour of
drivers in the country’s roads and with these methods, the high rate of
accidents would be reduced. “This mordenised system will also be able to
examine regular and capture the entire information in the system about the
behaviour of the said driver.
Recognised
“These drivers licences need to be recognised by the world and that is why
government has decided to upgrade and mordenise them so that you can be able to
be recognised as a driver even in European countries. Right now if you can issue
your driver’s licence in the United States of America (USA), the document will
not be recognised,” PS Mkhaliphi explained.
It is worth mentioning that in countries like the Philippines, driver’s
licences are valid for 10 or more years as Pinoy drivers, they are already aware
that our current five-year driver’s licence could be extended up to 10 years
validity if they continue to follow the traffic laws of the land like a saint.
When renewal time comes and if they have no traffic violations under their name,
they could be granted you the privilege of a 10-year driver’s license.
In the meantime, drivers who were randomly picked for an interview, however
preferred that their names not be disclosed said that these new mordenisation
was being piloted to take away their meal tickets. "This is not good news to us,
as losing your licence means the employer has to look for another person to
replace you,” said one kombi driver.