With the South African Post Office (Sapo) slowly phasing out licence disc renewals across many of its branches, Natis has stepped up and filled the void with their efficient online system. Picture: Armand Hough / Independent Newspapers Archives
With many South African State-Owned Entities (SOEs) in financially strained and mismanaged positions, like the South African Post Office, one government department has proven to be functional as promised.
With their online vehicle licence renewal system, the Road Traffic Management Corporation’s (RTMC) Natis website has made the process of licence disc renewals more efficient, cutting out queues, travel, and unnecessary interactions.
The National Traffic Information System (Natis) offers seven online services, including disc renewal.
These include card renewals, booking a learners test, booking a drivers licence test, making a PrDP application, booking a slot for the drivers test, and reporting a crash (damages only).
According to Natis, all vehicle licence renewals made through their online platform will be delivered within three to five working days.
There are also a number of situations where your new licence disc will not be printed by the Natis set-up.
For instance, if the vehicle you want to licence is not roadworthy, if there is an administration mark against the vehicle, if the vehicle requires police clearance, or if it has a police mark, then Natis will not print the new disc.
Updating all the relevant information in terms of outstanding fines and attaining your certificate of roadworthiness (COR) before applying for the vehicle licence is important for success, Natis says.
Attesting to the success of the platform, Durban educator Alina Reddy said the vehicle licence renewal process was effortless and a real convenience.
Reddy initially went to the South African Post Office, like she had done in the years prior, but upon arriving at the Post Office in Mobeni, south of Durban, she was disappointed when the employee behind the glass said they no longer offer the service.
The Chatsworth Post Office, which is also nearby her home, stopped offering the service as well.
Because of work commitments, it was difficult for her to travel to either the SAPO in Kloof or Westville, which were the next available areas offering the service.
She was then informed by a close confidant of the Natis website and the services it offered, which she was hesitant to use at first but then finally gave it a try.
“I applied for the disc online on Sunday and took delivery for it on Tuesday. Natis was so easy,” Reddy said.
Johannesburg resident Rhett Gardener also posted the Natis success story to Facebook.
The 78-year-old said the process was simple.
“For the first time in years, Natis (under the Road Management Corporation) advised me in good time that my vehicle licence was expiring. I was given the opportunity to register AND PAY online. No queuing at all.
“The process was simple enough for me, at 78, to carry through. four days later, today, my new disc was couriered to me,” Gardener wrote on October 5.
Free State resident Kutlwano Bagapi said the system was really convenient.
“Natis (National Traffic Information System) is really convenient; I just paid for my licence disc from the comfort of my work place, and it will be delivered soon.
“All other traffic-related things (booking of learners and licences) are also available. Lo ntse ka dilo, PUFF AND PASS. (Meaning she wants to share the information),” Bagapi wrote in a post on October 12.
Milly Batlhaodi from the Northern Cape called it quick and reliable.
“The Natis online service is quick, reliable, and hassle-free. For your disc renewal, 5 days max, then your new licence disc is delivered to you,” she wrote in a post on October 4.
Meanwhile, the Organisation Undoing Tax Abuse (Outa) and the SA Institute of Taxation (SAIT) have called on the government to either disband or semi-privatise Sapo.
Sapo was placed under business rescue following an application made by Communications Minister Mondli Gungubele at the North Gauteng High Court in Pretoria on July 10, IOL reported in October.
IOL