Another cost for Gauteng motorists? Association calls for licence disc fee hike to be halted
· Citizen
The Motor Industry Staff Association (Misa) is calling on the Gauteng Department of Roads and Transport to withdraw its proposal to increase the provincial licence disc renewal and vehicle registration fee.
Visit moryak.biz for more information.
This comes after Transport Minister Barbara Creecy said her department would not be applying to National Treasury for a hike in the Road Accident Fund (RAF), as South Africans are already facing significant financial pressure.
Misa Operations CEO Martlé Keyter opposes the hikes on the same grounds as the minister; South Africans are already financially overburdened. “Misa calls on government to think very carefully before placing another cost on workers who need a car to get to work.”
Here’s how much motorists might pay
The Gauteng Department of Roads and Transport has since published draft amendments to increase provincial vehicle registration and licence disc renewal fees earlier in the year.
The department proposes a R12 increase to the provincial vehicle registration fee, bringing it to R240. Licence disc renewal fees would increase by between R24 and R156, depending on the vehicle’s weight.
According to Keyter, if the hikes are approved, Gauteng will charge the highest licence disc fees in the country for every vehicle weighing less than 3 500kg.
Hikes to hurt motorists further
Keyter said the proposed hikes look small on paper; however, when put together with petrol price hikes and other costs to maintain a vehicle, they are expensive for motorists.
“Every one of these fees is presented as small and reasonable, but our members pay all of them, out of the same pay slip, in the same month.”
Her comments come after petrol prices crossed the R30 per litre mark for October. Motorists now pay R29.88 per litre for 93 unleaded petrol, R30.25 per litre for 95 unleaded petrol, R31.95 per litre for 0.05% diesel, and R33.29 per litre for 0.005% diesel.
“Last week petrol crossed R30 a litre in Gauteng, adding R133 to the cost of filling a 40-litre tank. Electricity, food and transport costs have outrun household budgets for most of this year,” she added.
Will Gauteng deliver another blow?
It is currently unclear when the increases for provincial licence disc renewal and vehicle registration fees will kick in, or whether they will be implemented at all.
The department accepted public comment until 23 September 2026 and is now reviewing the submissions.
“Misa calls on the MEC [of Roads and Transport] to withhold approval of the proposed fee increases.”
Cut fuel levies
Calls have been made to temporarily cut fuel levies to give motorists breathing room after the October fuel hike.
Finance minister Enoch Godongwana previously suspended part of the fuel levy till 1 July 2026.
Misa and the Automobile Association (AA) have been among the organisations at the forefront of asking for the temporary fuel levy relief to be brought back. However, Mineral Resources and Petroleum minister Gwede Mantashe said that there is currently no plan to offer relief to motorists.