By: ANG Reporter
Gauteng Transport and Logistics MEC Kedibone Diale-Tlabela and City of Joburg member of the mayoral committee (MMC) for Roads and Transport Kenny Kunene on Tuesday officially opened the newly revamped, state-of-the-art Xavier Junction licensing centre with cutting-edge technology in Ormonde, South of Joburg.
Kunene said he appreciated the willingness of his provincial counterpart to work together with his department. He added that this cooperation will go a long way in servicing the residents of the City. Speaking at the opening, Kunene said the technology used at the state-of-the-art licensing centre will among others help eradicate fraud and corruption as the centre boasted facilities such as facial recognition. He said this technology will make sure that the crime of people presenting themselves at licensing centres to write learners driving license tests for other people is eliminated.
Diale-Tlabela said the reopening was part of the Department of Roads and Transport’s vision of bringing services closer to residents and introducing “smart licensing centres” to address backlogs in the provision of driver and vehicle licensing services in the province.
She emphasised the importance of taking testing centers to the people as being the core of the programme of people-centered services. “The reopening of the center is part of the department’s vision of building smart driving license testing centres that will enhance service delivery and improve experiences of the customers, through leveraging on new smart technology,” said Diale-Tlabela.
The centre offers additional space and capacity to ensure client-friendly, effective, and efficient provision of driver and vehicle licensing services. It is also equipped with the latest technology for conducting learner’s license tests online, which will also help in eliminating corruption.
Diale-Tlabela added that a driver’s license is an important document not only for mobility, but it opens doors for employment to many young people. Per week, the centre will provide 520 booking slots for learner’s licence applications, 320 slots for driver’s licence renewals, and 210 slots for professional driving permits.
“Here we have built a bigger and better driver license testing centre to improve customer experience and reduce the time that our people spend when they seek to regularise their driving documents. This has a great knock-on effect in bettering the daily lives of our clients.”
“The four and half million rand that we have spent in revamping this facility will go a long way in making it easier for people living with disabilities, young people, senior citizens, and corporate clients in the Johannesburg CBD and surrounds to access services without a hassle. It is for this reason that we have decided that this centre will also operate on weekends,” the MEC explained.
She said her department had added the following services: registration and deregistration of motor vehicles; change of ownership; license disc renewals; notice of sale and duplicate registration papers. The centre, which is wheelchair friendly, boasts six live enrolment units for eye testing, 28 computerised learner’s licence test systems, and 30 e-natis computers and printers.
“We are phasing out the cash payment system, by the end of April we want this facility to be cashless. Eliminating cash goes a long way in our fight against corruption. To deal with the backlog that may arose due to Covid-19 lockdowns, the Xavier Licensing Centre will also operate over weekends, with 18 service points, that range from card collection, motor vehicle registering authority (MVRA), driver license testing centre (DLTC) and eye test,” added the MEC.
