The High Court in Pretoria has ordered the immediate handover of the electronic National Information Traffic System (eNatis) to the Road Traffic Management Corporation (RTMC).

Judge Neil Tuchten said the keys to premises and codes for the system should be immediately returned to RTMC. He also reserved the right to evict private operator Tasima should this not take place.

The judge ordered Tasima to pay the costs of the application.

Tasima and the RTMC have spent four years in protracted legal battles over the system‚ following a five-year contract extension granted in 2010.

In November 2016‚ the Constitutional Court found this extension to be unlawful‚ ordering a transfer within 20 days.

However‚ Tasima and the RTMC failed to come to terms over a migration plan‚ with the company arguing that a rapid handover could compromise the system that allows the registration of new vehicles and the issuance of licences.

But on Monday‚ Judge Tuchten rejected Tasima’s argument.

“There is nothing in the handover order of this court that prevents the parties from continuing to co-operate in ensuring that the transfer is achieved as swiftly and as in orderly fashion as is possible‚” the judgment read.

The newly appointed transport minister‚ Joe Maswanganyi‚ welcomed the judgment‚ saying the department would continue to ensure there was no disruption to the service.

Tasima did not immediately respond to requests for comment.