Motorists who want to procure a roadworthy certificate for their vehicle are unable to do so in a timeous manner because of the current cap on how many vehicles may be tested per day.
The DA has received numerous queries from members of the public regarding what the Gauteng Department of Roads and Transport is doing about the current cap and backlog.
Both public and private testing stations have been working on a first come first serve basis since the Covid-19 lockdown was implemented two years ago. Furthermore, it is distressing to note that the Gauteng Provincial Government is unable to give us a true picture of how bad the backlog currently is.
During a recent sitting at the Gauteng Provincial Legislature, the DA asked questions about why the cap is still in place despite the fact that the majority of lockdown regulations have been lifted.
In his reply, the MEC for Roads and Transport Jacob Mamabolo stated that the National Department of Transport has pronounced minimum testing time standards and all the other standards that relate to Covid-19 protocols. According to MEC Mamabolo, once the National Department grants permission to implement the minimum standards then the cap will be lifted.
With the upcoming Easter Weekend approaching there will be a large number of vehicles moving in and out of the province and the current cap on how many vehicles are tested on a day could lead to residents resorting to driving their cars without the necessary roadworthy certificate.
The DA will continue to demand that this cap be lifted and will be engaging with the MEC of Transport on this matter as we cannot have a situation where there are unroadworthy vehicles on our roads. This poses a huge danger to other motorists and pedestrians and has the potential to increase the number of fatalities on our roads.
Media Enquiries
Evert Du Plessis MPL
DA Gauteng Spokesperson for Roads and Transport
082 870 2768
Dorianne Arendse
GPL Media and Issues Specialist
076 983 0118