A South African ID book and driver’s licence. Picture: Gallo Images/Nicolene Olckers South Africa’s long-delayed plan to acquire a new driver’s licence card printing machine has received a major boost after the High Court in Pretoria confirmed a declaratory order setting aside an irregular R898 million tender. Transport Minister Barbara Creecy confirmed that the court on Tuesday, 6 January 2026, ruled that the contract awarded to the South African subsidiary of French multinational technology company Idemia was unlawful and invalid.
The tender, awarded in August 2024, followed a bidding process that began in April and concluded in May 2023. However, serious concerns were later raised by theAuditor-General, who found that the procurement process did not comply with legislative requirements. In response to these findings, Creecy instructed the Department of Transport in March 2025 to approach the high court for adeclaratory orderto obtain legal clarity on the matter.
The Driving Licence Card Account (DLCA) had reportedly budgeted just over R486 million for the new machine. Idemia’s bid, however, was allegedly eitherR762 million or R898 million. The court has since ordered that the tender be set aside and instructed the Department of Transport to re-advertise the bid within 30 days.
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The department was also granted permission to temporarily outsource the printing and issuing of driving licence cards to the Department of Home Affairs, pending the appointment of a new service provider. Reacting to the judgment, Creecy welcomed the outcome, saying it reaffirmed the department’s stance on ethical procurement.
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