Chaos on Joburg roads as driving schools protest
5 March 2021 3:58 PM Road Traffic Management Corporation (RTMC) Gauteng driving school operators
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JMPD spokesperson Wayne Minnaar says they look into factors such as the safety of other motorists and members of the community.
There was chaos on South African roads as members of the National Driving School Association of South Africa marched from Road Traffic Management Corporation offices in Centurion to Gauteng MEC Jaco Mamabolo s offices in Johannesburg.
Johannesburg Metro Police spokesperson Wayne Minnaar has the story.
We consider that people have the right to protest. Other factors to be taken into consideration are the safety of other motorists and other members of the community.
GALLERY: Driving school operator protest stops traffic on the N1
Abigail Javier | Driving school operators in Gauteng took their protest over the online booking system to the Road Traffic Management Corporation in Centurion. The operators went on a drive-slow on the N1 and caused a traffic jam.
Online licensing booking system slammed
By Goitsemang Tlhabye
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Pretoria - The National Driving School Association of South Africa has pledged to take its demands for the upgrading or outright scrapping of the online booking system to the National Department of Transport if needs be.
Its members protested at the Waltloo licensing centre last week, demanding the system either be upgraded or scrapped.
Greg Sehlapelo, assistant general-secretary for the association, said the system did not take into consideration that many residents lived in remote areas, had limited knowledge of navigating the online system or could not afford connectivity.
Sehlapelo said when the online booking system was introduced as a pilot project in 2018, they initially had no issues with it apart from the fact there had been minimal consultation with those in the transport sector and the public.
03 March 2021 - 13:16 Protesters preventing the public from entering the Sandton DLTC last week. Driving school operators are set to resume their picket protests this Friday, and on Monday and Tuesday. Image: Denis Droppa
The National Driving School Association of SA is urging the public not to visit traffic department offices for three days starting on Friday, when they will be staging protests to demand the scrapping of the online booking system.
“Since the department of transport is not taking us seriously, we are planning to picket at the [department] and Road Traffic Management Corporation on Friday. On Monday and Tuesday we are closing all the stations. There will be no service for all stations. We are urging the public not to go to any traffic department,” said Abel Mositsa, the association s chairperson.
Driving school organisations have been protesting at driving licence testing centres and plan to hold marches on Friday. We speak to the South African Institute of Driving Instructors to get some clarity on the licence system.