TrendySA Online

RANDBURG - Organisation Undoing Tax Abuse  (OUTA) has noted Cabinet’s long-overdue approval of ten-year driving licence cards for light motor vehicles.  The decision follows years of calls for reform from OUTA and other civil society organisations.  “This decision is almost six years overdue, but it is a victory for motorists and for common sense. Government has finally accepted that forcing motorists through an inefficient renewal system every five years wastes time and money without making our roads safer,” says OUTA CEO Wayne Duvenage. The ten-year validity period will apply to driving licence codes A, A1, B and EB. Heavy commercial and public transport vehicle licences will remain subject to the existing two- or five-year renewal periods, while professional driving permits will continue to be renewed every two years. OUTA first called for the validity period to be extended in September 2020, when COVID-19 restrictions severely disrupted licensing services ...

CAPE TOWN - Parliament has approved the extension of driving license card validity in South Africa, which will increase the time between renewals from 5 to 10 years. Minister in the Presidency Khumbudzo Ntshavheni confirmed the approval in a post-Cabinet briefing on 30 July. Cabinet approved the extension of the validity period for license codes A, A1, B and EB, Ntshavheni said. However, this will only apply to light motor vehicles. Heavy, commercial and transport vehicles will adhere to the current renewal cycles of between two and five years, and professional licenses will remain on the two-year cycle.

EASTERN CAPE - The Joe Gqabi District Municipality advises all motorists to exercise extreme caution when travelling on roads affected by ongoing rainfall and snowfall, which have resulted in wet and slippery driving conditions. The following routes are currently affected: • *R56-8 (km 89.0) between Matatiele and Tlokoeng (Mount Fletcher):* Rain and snowfall have made the road surface increasingly slippery. Motorists are strongly advised to reduce speed, maintain a safe following distance, and, where possible, consider using alternative routes. • *R56 between Ugie and Khowa (Elliot):* Light rain and snowfall are causing wet and slippery road conditions.  Drivers are urged to remain vigilant and adjust their driving to the prevailing weather conditions. The municipality appeals to all road users to: • Reduce speed and avoid sudden braking or sharp turns. • Switch on headlights to improve visibility. • Increase following distances between vehicles. • Avoid unnecessary tra...

CAPE TOWN - Cape Town Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis welcomed the arrival of ‘Evie’, the City’s first fully electric MyCiTi bus. This first bus has now passed rigorous performance testing on several routes. The City has confirmed an order for an initial 38 battery-electric buses as part of broader plans for a public transport system that is cleaner, smarter and less susceptible to diesel price fluctuations. The electric bus fleet will be deployed along the major new Cape Flats route expansion, set to benefit over 1,4 million residents across 30 neighbourhoods, from Mitchells Plain and Khayelitsha, to Wynberg and Claremont. This is South Africa’s biggest metro-led public transport project, with an overall infrastructure investment of R7,1bn committed to date.

DURBAN - The Durban Metropolitan Police Service, working in partnership with the South African Police Service, continued its commitment to improving road safety through coordinated drunk driving enforcement operations conducted on Friday night, 17 July 2026. Two roadblocks were held at Battery Beach with Durban Central SAPS and on the M35 Umbumbulu Road (Nsimbini) with Folweni SAPS. The operations resulted in a total of 33 motorists being arrested for allegedly driving under the influence of alcohol. Operation Summary: Battery Beach / Durban Central SAPS  • 16 arrests for Driving While Under the Influence (DWD)  • 12 males and 4 females arrested M35 Umbumbulu Road (Nsimbini) / Folweni SAPS  • 17 arrests for Driving While Under the Influence (DWD)  • 14 males and 3 females arrested These successful operations were conducted through the collaboration of Durban Metro Police officers, SAPS members, and medical personnel responsible for evidential breath alcoh...

CAPE TOWN - The City of Cape Town’s first electric bus arrived from Johannesburg, where the bodies of the MyCiTi electric bus fleet are being manufactured. This prototype e-bus will be piloted on a variety of routes in coming weeks to determine its performance on steep inclines and downhill, in the city environment with many stop-and-goes, in heavy traffic during peak periods, and when travelling longer distances. All-in-all, the City will take delivery of 38 low-floor battery-electric buses as part of the roll-out of the MyCiTi bus service to the metro-south east. The buses are expected to arrive during the current calendar year with the fleet earmarked for operational roll-out in 2027. These are 12-metre Volvo BZRLE battery-electric buses and the first MyCiTi buses where the bodies have been designed in South Africa and locally manufactured in Gauteng. The MyCiTi service is now 16 years old. The arrival of our first e-bus is a major highlight in this journey and supports ...