South African licence testing centres and why its hard to get a drivers licence booking in Gauteng?
If you are holding your drivers learners and waiting to get a booking from Gauteng testing centres with no luck, all we can say is "join the queue". It is a nightmare to get a booking from the testing centres, all you get after holding on the telephone for 30 minutes is sorry no bookings are available, OR please call after 30 minutes, OR the line is engaged for the most of the time. Latest news on the licence fraud and corruption in testing stations.
And the one better excuse you get when you call the new Gauteng 0860 4288364 number is they can only make provincial bookings, which will be available in October or November, by then your learners would have have expired (well mine will be). List of Testing centres in South Africa
Personal experience with booking for a licence test
My learners expires on the 19 of November 2006, for a better chance of passing the first time around for my drivers licence, I booked myself to a driving school from march 2006. I did everything with my instructor (Gilbert), for the poles driving, we did alley dockey, parallel parking, 3 point turn and the step hill. Which you only do when you have applied for a code 8 (02). For code 10 I believe you wont have to practice these.
And for the actual driving, we practised the clutch, break and accelerate control which are very important when driving. As a driver you probably know the whole drill.
Later in May decided to get a booking for myself, because I felt ready for a test, tried for 3 weeks to get through the call centre with no luck, now the frightening reports on newspapers confirmed my struggles that I'm no where near to get a driving test booking because the licensing department is at its worse chaos. What is still a puzzle to me is why are driving schools able to get a booking than me, an individual?
I had to pay an amount of R100 for the driving school to get a booking for me, and they did in less done a day! Remember that the confirmation booking days have changed its now up to 5 days that you can confirm with the licensing centre. You have to report there in person, with an amount of R170, a copy of your ID and drivers learners. You have passed your learners! NOW Subscribe to the Drivers Licence K53 Preparation Series
My drivers test was booked at Rooderpoort licensing centre, which is the other side of Johannesburg from where I live. The first time I went to pay the people where on strike, so had to come back another day, when I did, the queues where long and not to mention the service because the power was off, so everything had to be done manually. While waiting in the queue, it was interesting, the stories you hear from the fellow want to be drivers of South Africa have to say...
Taking bribes in driving testing centres
I can be hated for this, but lets all admit, bribing somebody in order to pass your drivers licence is real and out there. Apparently it occurs everywhere and it costs. People are willing to pay close to R4500 to get a licence, blame them and don't blame them at the end of the day the person has got a licence and he/she got it with the help of a driving school or inside connection at the testing station. List of testing centres
A year ago on 3rd degree, e-TV showed a documentary about driving schools having connections with inside testing stations, how people pass their drivers learners and test without going through the whole drivers procedure law in South Africa, by just paying money..."They are forcing people to drive without a licence, the cost involved to book every time is so high that it is nearly worth the risk getting a fine."South Africans talk bout the difficulties of getting a drivers license and other concerning matters, you can also tell us your story...
While paying for my booking there was a sticker on the wall saying "avoid corruption and so on ...", it occurred to me that the testing stations and the people in management know about this issue, its either they are turning a blind eye or being part of it.
My testing day came around and as usual, I was nervous but yet had confident. Me and the other guy were given our forms to go and give our inspectors, mine was going to be Sir George!
Sir George explained all the rules to us, you pump a pole or roll your car its a fail. Then comes your eye testing, After all that the you do the car inspection (inside and outside) which went well then you start the car and drive to the yard test side, that's where I made a mistake, pumped a pole and it was a fail.
Now I'm back where I started, I have to get a booking before my learners expires and its just a struggle to get through... By Priscilla Makhubela
If you have a similar story or just passed your drivers the first time, unlike some of us! or would like to share your thoughts and experience about getting a drivers learners and licence. We would appreciate your participation on this website, all you will need to do is write your story and e-mail it to me at zuluprincess (at)gmail.com. Thank you...