The National Department of Transport has proposed amendments to road traffic regulations that would restrict the use of traffic register numbers, learner’s licences and driving licences as general identification documents, while introducing tighter controls for foreign nationals and TRN holders.
In a media statement, the department said the proposed changes to the National Road Traffic Regulations aimed to curb the abuse of road traffic documents and align the legislation with the Identification Act.
The department said an investigation conducted in 2023, with assistance from the Department of Home Affairs, uncovered widespread abuse of TRNs and other road traffic documents being used as identity documents.
“The TRN was created solely to enable persons without a South African identity number to transact on the National Traffic Information System (NaTIS) for road traffic purposes, whilst finalising their legal status with Home Affairs,” the department said.
It added that TRNs were never intended to serve as general identification documents.
Under the proposed amendments, foreign nationals who are not permanent residents would be required to present a valid passport from their country of origin, accompanied by the relevant permit issued by Home Affairs.
The department also plans to tighten controls on TRNs. Holders who obtain another acceptable identification document would have to notify the registering authority within 21 days and surrender their TRN certificates.
Furthermore, TRNs would only remain valid for the period covered by the passport and permit used to obtain them, the department said.
Holders of TRN certificates without an expiry date would have three months after the regulations come into effect to apply for new certificates.
The proposed amendments will be published for public comment, with interested parties given 30 days from publication in the Government Gazette to submit written representations.
The department said the regulations are not yet in force and will only take effect after public comments have been considered and the final amendments published with a commencement date.
In the interim, provinces have been instructed to centralise TRN issuance at provincial help desks to strengthen controls.