Clayton Barnes
7 November 2008
Parents and private individuals may soon be prohibited from sticking up poles in empty parking lots and teaching their children to drive, if a list of recommendations penned by the South African Institute of Driving Instructors (Saidi) is legislated.
Driving instructors from across the Western Cape province this week handed a list of recommendations, which included that driving lessons for learners' licence holders be formalised, to the department of transport for it to be included in the National Road Traffic Act.
The group of about 150 instructors, representing several driving schools, has also called for the industry to be regulated.
In the document entitled Recommendations for a Regulated Driving School Industry, Saidi's national spokesperson Alida Jones said formal training at a registered driving school for all learners' licence holders should be made compulsory.
"A minimum number of driving lessons should be set and instructors should provide proof of attendance," said Jones.
"This will make the entire process so much easier and will ensure a higher pass rate. So many people are failing every day because they are not trained properly.
"Either they just go for one or two lessons and then go for their drivers' licence test or they are taught by their parents or family friends."
Stanley Mgadi, of the national transport department, said the recommendations were welcome, but could only be legislated once all legal implications had been considered.
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