The applications and issuing of driver’s licences will not be affected by employees striking at the Driving Licensing Card Account (DLCA).

That is the assurance that Transport Minister Blade Nzimande gave South Africans on Tuesday.

DLCA employees protested outside their offices on Monday‚ reportedly demanding permanent positions. They claimed‚ according to an article published on IOL‚ that no South Africans would get their licences until they are insourced with employment benefits.

The protesting workers claimed South Africans have not received their new licences since they started protesting three weeks ago‚ leading to a backlog of 40‚000 licences.

Transport department spokesperson Ishmael Mnisi said the offices in Erasmuskloof‚ Pretoria‚ was responsible for producing all the licence cards in the country.

But Nzimande said hit back‚ saying employees refused to renew their contracts with the transport department and had demanded permanent employment instead.

He said contingency plans were in place to recover their turn-around time and deliver the cards in the case of unforeseen delays.

“What is also critical to note is that the DLCA is currently undergoing its yearly routine maintenance of its machinery and systems.”

Nzimande wrote in the 2017/18-2019/20 DLCA strategic that it was established in 1997 under the Department of Transport.

These services were originally outsourced to Prodiba (Pty) Ltd until the DLCA took control of the card production facilities on May 5 2015.