By Sipho Tshabalala
As part of the OTM 2023 October Transport Month campaign, the Department convened a conference with key stakeholders with a view to shape the licensing environment and the pursuit of ethical and excellent service provision of driver and vehicle licensing in the province.
Themed "Leapfrogging through digital transformation", the two-day conference brought together stakeholders from national and provincial spheres of governments, state entities, insurance companies, embossers as well as blankers. The objective was to review the licensing environment in the province. This included the adoption of a customer-centric focus to service deliver.
The conference was held on 23-24 October 2023 at the CSIR International Conventional Centre in Tshwane.
In order to achieve excellence in the licensing environment, the Department is required to continuously improve its licensing system in a manner that meets and exceed public expectations. 
In his statement of purpose, read out to the conference, Head of Department (HoD) Dr Thulani Mdadane remarked the gathering has to come up with strategies "to upgrade our licensing function, enhance service quality, and promote smart mobility, but most importantly contribute to the economic recovery of our province".
He added the conference also "serves as the link for government officials, scholars, and stakeholders to engage in discussions that will shape the future of licensing in Gauteng. Through dialogue and collaboration, we can overcome several challenges our space faces and embrace opportunities".
On adoption of technology and equitable revenue sharing, Dr Mdadane indicated inefficiencies needed to be overcome and conceded on the existence of corruption in the system. "We acknowledge our challenges: integrating modern technology seamlessly, ensuring transparency in revenue collection, and addressing inefficiencies leading to long waiting times at licensing offices".
He also committed the Department to work on enhancing road safety by "addressing inadequate training and lenient testing procedures". These, he added, were "challenges not roadblocks but milestones guiding our path towards a better, more efficient licensing system".
The Gautrain Management Agency's Mr Nyiko Nkuna presented innovations and strategies that have been adopted to improve services and enhance customer experiences at its 'Smart Licensing Centres'. These are located at Midrand and Centurion Gautrain Stations. He indicated these centres were built and designed with clients in mind, bringing in management and officials with the right attitude, ready and willing to serve. Their existence, he added, is premised on being customer-centric, providing a professional and ethical service. 
Representing local municipalities, South African Local Government Association (SALGA) highlighted issues requiring attention and that confront local authorities in the provision of this essential service. These, they argued, have to be looked at in order to improve services at licensing centres. They included measurement of performance, institutional design, legislative frameworks, sustainable revenue split and financing of new infrastructure. 
For its part, the Insurance Criminal Bureau (ICB), a non-profit company dedicated to fighting organised insurance crimes and fraud, shared information on the existence of various criminal networks in the system and how they conduct their operations. This, it added, takes various forms of collusion and fronting, amongst others.
The HoD further indicated the Department has taken steps to address these challenges, including the appointment of Ligwa Consulting to lead a forensic investigation into allegations of corruption, collusion, and fronting at all Driving Licensing and Testing Centers.
Amongst the findings of the investigation are:
The introduction of the online booking system created new opportunities for "runners," who act as intermediaries, to profit from the system. The system introduced a lucrative revenue stream for "runners,"
Motorists, allegedly, are not paying arrears owed; instead, transferring ownership of motor vehicles to deceased persons, shell entities, fake TRN's, or even random individuals in cahoots with/assistance of licensing officials;
Several officials linked to or owning driving schools;
The production, by runners, of fraudulent eye test certificates using registered optometrists' details and selling these to members of the public; and
In other instances, registration authority (MVRA) officials offered preferential services to those who did not want to stand in queues in exchange for a fee.
He added that with these findings in mind, "it is clear that a comprehensive relook at our licensing system is urgently necessary, if we are indeed serious about rooting out corruption". The HoD further noted that "as the Department of Roads and Transport we continue to work diligently to implement the recommendations of the forensic report, as well as cooperate with law enforcement agencies in cases where corruption is evident".
"This coordinated approach with all stakeholders will provide a platform for innovative solutions aimed at provision of a modernised, effective, and efficient provision of licensing services as part of the department's vision of Growing Gauteng Together Through Smart Mobility as well as improved customer experience" he concluded.
A prototype of the new, tamper-proof numberplate was also shared with the conference to be officially unveiled before year-end.