Learner’s and driving licence test appointments are not standardised nationally, and are, for the most part, handled manually. Being subject to human error manual scheduling is not wholly effective and moreover presents ample opportunity for fraud and corruption. With this in mind the Department of Transport tasked the eNaTIS contractor to create and incorporate an effective and efficient booking system.

The new licence appointment booking system will enhance efficiency and provide uniform booking procedures. 

‘During the course of July last year the booking system underwent comprehensive initial testing by user groups from all the provinces and representatives from the Department’s Inspectorate of Driving Licences,’ says Werner Koekemoer, eNaTIS Project Manager. ‘Indications are that the booking system will be fully effective and able to meet all requirements, including unique province-specific ones. The booking system component of the eNaTIS was successfully piloted at the Witbank driving licence testing centre in Mpumalanga in the first week of October 2007. No significant problems were experienced during the pilot project, and the system will in future be used for all licence appointment bookings at the centre.’ The eNaTIS booking system brings numerous advantages:

• It is integrated with related transactions on the eNaTIS, thus streamlining the learner’s/driving licence process.
• Since it will be available countrywide, it will be possible to implement uniform processes nationally.
• It ensures that the available capacity in terms of driving licence testing centres and examiners is utilised optimally, thus going a long way towards alleviating the frustration currently experienced by members of the public.
• A transparent process is followed in allocating bookings.

As mentioned previously, fraud prevention is one of the main features of the system. Corrupt practices will be eliminated in the following ways:

• The availability of appointments is determined and managed by the eNaTIS. As a result officials at driving licence testing centres (DLTCs) will not be able to give preference to specific applicants by reserving appointment dates or times for them. The system determines the earliest available appointment date and time for an applicant. Unfortunately, in the past a few unscrupulous officials abused their position by accepting bribes to provide bookings to applicants. This will no longer be possible.
• The booking system calculates the number of available test appointments at any given DLTC based on the capacity of the centre in question. This capacity will be determined and set up by the Inspectorate of Driving Licences, and examiners will be unable to perform more tests than the number allowed.
• Information about examiners who will be conducting specific tests will not be available to applicants (and vice versa). Only on the day of the test will this information be made available. This will eliminate the abusive practice where certain applicants are tested by specific examiners who have been bribed to pass them.
• Anonymous applicants will not be able to make block bookings. This will prevent unscrupulous driving schools from bribing officials and ‘hogging’ test slots, even though they may not have applicants to fill those slots.
• The scheduled test times and dates are visible to the Inspectorate of Driving Licences and the Department of Transport’s Investigations and Forensics Sub-directorate. This will provide additional audit information on examiners and controls on applicants they have tested.
• It is not be possible to capture test results or the issuing of a licence on the system if a test appointment was not made. In the past applicants were marked as having passed although an application for a test was never made.
• Diaries of examiners will be fully controlled by DLTC managers/supervisors. The additional management involvement will compel examiners and management to work together, thus improving accountability and also providing a structured work environment.
• Since the booking system does not allow the replacement of one applicant with another for a specific test, corrupt officials will no longer be able to do so in return for bribes.
• All booking transactions performed will be audited and available for management reports.

‘It is common knowledge that fragmented working procedures increase the likelihood of corrupt practices,’ concludes Koekemoer. ‘As part of the centralised eNaTIS the new functionality provides uniform, standardised booking procedures to traffic authorities nationwide, enhances efficiency and will no doubt put paid to many corrupt practices at testing centres.’

Related articles: 

eNaTIS to have major impact on traffic law enforcement

eNaTIS effective in keeping non-roadworthy imports off our roads