BY: Saneliso Mlambo
The South African Department of Transport (DoT) is seeking to have a R400 million tender awarded for new driver’s licence card printers declared unlawful due to allegations of procurement irregularities. The contract, awarded to Idemia Identity and Security, is intended to provide three machines to produce the country’s new smart driver’s licence cards.
The tender has faced heavy scrutiny after concerns about inflated costs and potential tender manipulation emerged. Originally valued at R898 million, the tender later ballooned to R1 billion. This raised alarm among civil society groups such as the Organisation Undoing Tax Abuse (Outa), which called for an investigation into whether the process was fair and affordable.
In response to these concerns, Transport Minister Barbara Creecy asked the Auditor-General to probe the procurement, specifically questioning the contract’s cost and the lack of involvement of local suppliers. While the full findings of the audit have not been disclosed, Creecy plans to release at least a summary once the review is complete.
The tender’s investigation has led to delays in the rollout of the new driver’s licence cards, contributing to significant backlogs as the country continues to rely on outdated machines.
The outcome of the case could either delay the new system further or prompt a new round of procurement, depending on whether the tender is annulled.