The Department of Transport wishes to announce that the provision relating to the ring-fencing of driving licences that was to come into effect on 1 February 2011, as per recent amendments to the National Road Traffic Regulations - Government Gazette 33796, Notice No. 1113 published on 25 November 2010, is no longer effective. The reinstatement is as per Government Gazette 33980, No 9462 of 1 February 2011.
As per amendments published on 25 November 2010, any person who obtained a driving licence for a heavy motor vehicle would have no longer been allowed to drive a light motor vehicle. Persons who obtained a code C, C1, EC or EC1 driving licence would have not been allowed to drive a motor vehicle that requires a code B or code EB licence (in old terms - a person with a code 10, 11, 13 or 14 licence cannot drive a vehicle for which you need a code 08 licence). This was to only apply to new licences issued from 1 February 2011.
Since the publication of this amendment on 25 November 2010, the Department of Transport has received representations from various individuals and organisations and in this spirit will engage and consult further on the matter. The representations received necessitated a review of the amendments. The review process led to a decision by the department to reinstate the status quo with immediate effect, in the best interests of South Africans.
NB: It must be emphasised that all other amendments as published still remain in force. For full details of the amendments, the pertinent Acts and gazettes should be consulted.