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SAIDI feels that it is high time that legislation was passed
SAIDI feels that it's high time that legislation was passed compelling all driving instructors to belong to an umbrella body, with a Constitution and Code of Conduct in order to assist us to "get our house in order" as required by
the MEC when he addressed the meeting in Langlaagte on
23 June 2007.
Unless we have that legal weight behind us, driving instructors will continue to operate without being held accountable for all kinds of crimes committed against the public.
We hope you can help us to achieve this goal.
Each driving school "umbrella" body should be required to submit their Constitution and Code of Conduct for approval of content or otherwise, as well as full contact details of those running the organizations. Once certain bodies are given the
initial accreditation, a law should be passed requiring all
driving instructors to join one of the approved bodies, provided
that they are in possession of a legal driving instructor's
certificate. Closer liaison with the authorities should be encouraged
at regular meetings.
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Blockages to obtain a legal driver's licence
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Many driving instructors, (the first contact the public
have with the system), are corrupt, justifying their actions
by arguing that the legal route to obtain driver's licence bookings
does not work etc. That is unfortunately true! We try our best
to cope under the present circumstances, but the whole driver's
licence test situation is very badly managed. Five years ago
we could obtain legal appointments within one to six weeks at the
test centres.
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For five years there have been very serious shortages
of appointments and testing centres. People now have been phoning
every half hour for as many as four months or more simply to
acquire an appointment to be tested!
It seems that the authorities are not in agreement as to
what steps need to be taken to rectify the situation, and while
some people pull in one direction, those above them apparently
care little for the problems facing the man in the street when
he/she tries to obtain a legal driving licence.
For example, promises of fifteen desperately needed new examiners
in Pretoria were made. That kept us happier for months, waiting
for the promised improvement, but now we are told the budget
does not allow for them to be paid!
The Government is not above the law and should be held accountable to deliver a service by the departments which exist for that purpose.
We feel legislation should compel them to provide that service to avoid further carnage as a by-product of many factors,
including driving illegally, without the correct training.
- If laws to compel instructors to join an approved association are passed, and if the test
centres are compelled to sort their problems out, further legislation to prohibit driving schools
from taking students for tests unless they are on the approved list could easily be passed and implemented.
If you are in a position to assist us with the above-mentioned problems, particularly
in your position of legal expertise, we would be VERY INTERESTED.
