STAFF REPORTER

[Article edited to accurately reflect figures, changes indicated in square brackets. To access the original version, follow the link at the end.]

The controversial eNatis traffic system has set a new record, processing the most transactions for a single month since its inception in April in 2007.

In October, eNatis processed more than 14-million transactions, a record high for the country.

Spokesperson [for Tasima, the eNaTIS contractor]  Philip van der Merwe said the increased volume could be attributed largely to the pilot phase, Administrative Adjudication of Road Traffic Offences (Aarto), which had been operating in the Tshwane Metro Police Department.

System-to-system transactions were also set to sky-rocket as more organisations would enjoy direct access in 2009.

Service delivery and security would be improved as transactions would now pass through fewer hands than previously, making the process at registering authorities and testing stations easier.

"The system handled the large volume of transactions effortlessly and without interruption, as it was designed to do," Van der Merwe said.

A number of service up-grades last month had no effect on service delivery either.

"System uptime was 100 percent during business hours, and in the rare instances where service centres could not access eNatis, it was invariably as a result of data line issues and not the unavailability of the core system," he said.

During [October 2008], daily transaction totals have gone higher than 600 000 seven times, with [October 21] proving the busiest day, with 722 231 transactions performed.

October, in comparison to September, experienced in-creases in all the major transaction categories.

Vehicle licensing transactions went up 3,21 percent; vehicle registration 8,58 percent; driver's licence card orders rose by 6,16 percent; learner's licence authorisations by 3,83 percent; and vehicle record introductions by a whopping 15,57 percent.

The number of reports executed on the system for financial settlements and audits increased by 8,92 percent, with more than 4m interface transactions and nearly 10m user transactions performed last month.

The Johannesburg service centre performed the most transactions at 808 825, followed by the City of Cape Town at 691 955, then Pretoria at 622 912 and Durban was fourth at 322 230.

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