The Automobile Association (AA) is concerned that Road Traffic Management Corporation (RTMC) fee update proposal which was gazetted on September 3 will go into effect if nothing is done. But Road Management deny they are being underhanded.
RTMC has since released a statement denying it is trying to get motorists to pay more for online bookings of driving licence renewals – but the AA warns this is not true because the gazette remains unamended.
According to the Association, the published fees demonstrate a lack of sensitivity to the current plight of motorists who simply cannot renew their driving licences.
The proposed fees would include:
- A charge to motorists of R250 for online bookings to renew driving licences (for the booking only, excluding the actual cost of the licence)
- R700 for online registrations of motor vehicles, and R700 for online change of ownership of motor vehicles
- An additional transaction fees of R72 for every transaction performed at the RTMC
- R99 for the delivery of driving licence cards.
According to RTMC:
- The R72 transaction fee has been in existence for many years and has not been changed in more than three years.
- To further streamline services, it is proposed that the registration of a vehicle by a title owner and the notification of change of ownership will in future be done online.
- Insurance companies will also be able to access an electronic copy of an Accident Report.
- Members have called for these improvements and they in line with the new way of doing business in the digital era in which we live.
“The proposals include a charge to motorists of R250 for online bookings to renew driving licences (for the booking only, excluding the actual cost of the licence), R700 for online registrations of motor vehicles, and R700 for online change of ownership of motor vehicles. These fees are additional to so-called transaction fees of R72 for every transaction performed at the RTMC and R99 for the delivery of driving licence cards.
“When the issue of the R250 for online bookings was raised, the RTMC took to social media and issued press statements claiming the AA and others were misleading the public. They noted that the R250 cost of online bookings included the issuance of the credit card format driving licence – a fact which was not conveyed in the Government Gazette.
“Any misunderstanding is entirely due to the poor and vague wording of the Gazette which announced the fees, not through any misinterpretation from the AA. Despite all the ‘corrections’ by the RTMC, it hasn’t actually amended the proposed regulations officially,” notes the Association.
The official notice published in the Government Gazette is legal and unless the wording is rectified, it will remain the same.
“When the issue first arose, we immediately initiated an online petition to garner support from the public for our position that these fees are outrageous and amount to a shakedown of motorists. Since the RTMC and Department of Transport have not offered any formal correction of the original Gazette we remain concerned that the process will unfold exactly as it is stated; ultimately there will be no recourse for motorists when the R250 is charged in addition to the cost of the actual card, which almost doubles the total cost for this document in Gauteng,” explained the AA.
The AA’s online petition is available to sign at https://aa.co.za/rtmc-fees-petition/
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