GEORGE NEWS - The new computerised learner's licence testing system at the George Traffic Department has become the source of endless frustration to hopeful candidates who fail their tests time after time.
The new system was introduced in April this year. Judging from feedback of George Herald readers on the paper's Facebook page, it seems large numbers of people have been failing the test, not only in George, but also in neighbouring towns where the same system is used.
Everyone complains that rewriting is an expensive exercise as the booking fee is repeated. And in George there is the additional stress factor of waiting for months to get another appointment.
Some people who failed the test in October and made a new appointment say the first available date is in April next year. Some people drive to Mossel Bay or Oudtshoorn to get earlier appointments, which adds to the cost.
Elton Olivier, an expert in driver training, says when he became aware of these complaints, he volunteered to write the test when there was an invitation for people to 'test-drive' the system before it went public. "Out of the 20 people who wrote the test, only three passed - and they were all in the industry."
The problem seems to be that the K53 handbookm which has been the go-to manual for years, does not contain all the information needed to learn for the computerised test. Olivier said he has since had to update their own training material.
George Municipality responded as follows:
The computerised Learner’s Licence Test (CLLT) system is a national system implemented and managed by the Road Traffic Management Corporation (RTMC). Local authorities have no control over the test content, question database, or operating software. The system contains approximately 1500 questions, which are randomly generated per applicant, meaning no two candidates receive the same set of questions.
Examiners are not permitted to touch the screen, activate questions, assist applicants, or alter any part of the test at any stage.
The Western Cape Government has launched the new CLLT system, which replaces the former manual booklet-based testing method.
Key benefits of the CLLT system include:
- Promoting safer, more responsible driving
- Reducing opportunities for corruption
- Supporting hearing-impaired drivers through on-screen instructions
- Delivering quicker, more accurate test results
The municipality encouraged applicants to use the official RTMC/NaTIS learner driver manuals to prepare for the test. These can be downloaded here.
Use the NaTIS learner drive manuals.
Learner’s licence booking waiting times
The municipality acknowledge the ongoing public dissatisfaction regarding the waiting period for booking learner's licence tests. The demand for testing slots in George remains exceptionally high.
- The Municipality has actively implemented measures to address this backlog, including adding more daily testing classes. The waiting period has been successfully reduced from eight months to approximately five months.
- To accommodate the high demand and those who need to re-test, the Municipality has taken the decision to open bookings in advance. Slots are currently available between January and April 2026.
- Due to safety regulations concerning the new equipment, the maximum seating capacity per class was adjusted from 20 to 19 (to keep one tablet open as a spare). Despite this minor adjustment, the addition of multiple classes per day has increased our overall output.
The municipality said due to cancellations or schedule adjustments, limited slots are still available in 2025, specifically on 26, 27, and 28 November.
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