Yesterday we shared a blog post titled “Car Insurance to be affected by amended Road Traffic Act“. Of specific importance was the amended regulation:
Amendment on heavy motor vehicle licences
- As of 1 February 2011 persons who obtain driving licences for a code C, C1, EC or EC1 driving licence will not be allowed to drive a motor vehicle that requires a code B or code EB licence (in old terms – a person with a code 10, 11, 13 or 14 licence cannot drive a vehicle for which you need a code 08 licence). This will only apply to new licence holders.
Update:
On Tuesday the Department of Transport announced that people granted licences to drive heavy duty vehicles will still be allowed to use them to drive light motor vehicles.
A new law preventing the use of heavy duty vehicle licences by people driving light motor vehicle was to have come into effect on Tuesday, said spokesperson Thami Ngidi.
“Since the publication of this amendment… the department has received representations from various individuals and organisations and in this spirit will engage and consult further on the matter,” Ngidi said.
“The representations received necessitated a review of the amendments.
“The review process led to a decision by the department to reinstate the status quo with immediate effect, in the best interests of South Africans.”
As a result, licences for codes C, C1, EC or EC1 may still be used by the drivers of vehicles requiring code B or code EB licences.
Also view:
Several amendments to Road Traffic Act to come into effect 1 February
Update: Road Traffic Amendment 18 – GG 33980 and draft Amendment 19 – GG 33979
The amendment concerning the driving licence legislation that was supposed to become effective on 1 February 2011, where a new holder of a Class C1, C, EC1 or EC licence was not allowed to drive a Class B or EB vehicle has been amended again.
Amendment 18 that is published in Government Gazette 33980 of 1 February 2011 has changed the legislation back to the position that applied before 1 February 2011 and new Class C1, C, EC1 or EC holders of licences may drive Class B or EB vehicles respectively.
The gazette also corrected an error in regulation 138(1)(j) – the word “roadworthy” was replaced with the word “unroadworthy”