I have just got back from renewing my drivers license at the Hillstar Traffic Department in Cape Town. With visions of long queues, tedious forms, and a complicated and slow eNaTS computer system, I was dreading the experience. Well, to my utter surprise, it was nothing like that. It was a fast and painless experience.

In theory, my new license will be ready in 6-8 weeks.

So, here is the process.

What do you need to bring?

1. 2x passport photos (preferably black and white, but colour seems to be fine)
2. R100 fee
3. a black pen (they don’t have any there)
4. Your old drivers license and your ID book
5. book / magazine / ipod etc

What is the best time to renew?

I can only get there on a Friday, so all the details below relate to a Friday experience. I originally arrived at about 12:00pm, and they were very busy, it clearly was not going to get less busy in the afternoon, so I left. Yes I admit that lunch time is probably not the best time to renew.

Next time, I arrived at about 8:30am, and they were not very busy. In total, it took me about an hour from start to finish, which was not too bad. However, when I left at 9:30am, they were almost empty, so I think that about 9:30-10am would probably be the best time.

They are open from 7:45am until 3:00pm, but they did warn that if the queue’s are too long, they will close the doors earlier, so be careful.

What is the process?

1. Stand in the reception queue – they will give you whatever forms you need (the green form for drivers license renewal)
2. Go to the eye test/fingerprint queue. You can fill out your form while you wait. It is quite long but moves reasonably quickly. The eye test and fingerprinting is done at the same time.
3. Pay at the cashiers desk. Keep the receipt, because it extends the validity of your current drivers license by 2 months should the new license not arrive before your old one expires.
4. They will send you a postcard when your new license is ready – in theory in about 6-8 weeks. Update (13 Feb 2009) After three months, I was still waiting and had not received notification. So, on the off change that it was ready I went to the collections dept. Sure enough, it was ready, and I was told that they had stopped sending out notification. So, don’t hold your breath waiting for any postcard, whatever they tell you! Oh, and there was no queue at collections.

That’s it  – easy and painless.

By the way, don’t bother trying to phone them – the phone just rings.

Tags: drivers license renewals traffic department

Today is the annual Rotary Dragon Boat Race. They used to be at the V&A Waterfront, but they have now moved to Zandvlei, just down the road from my house.

While the competitors all very serious when racing, the event is all in good fun, with all proceeds going to Rotary charitable projects.

Dragon boat racing originated in ancient china, and has been a sport for over 20 years, but it became an international sport as late as 1976.

Here are a few pics.

I kill where I wish and none dare resist – JRR Tolkien – The Hobbit

The Start Line – do you know how they struggled to get all the boats into a straight line before they started the race?

And they’re off…

This is serious business

The sea scouts were also out in force…

…and so were the windsurfers.

And finally, summer has finally arrived. The weather is about 29 degrees today, it is a glorious hot summer day.

The Spring flowers – about a month late, but better late than never

What do you think of this picture? It was taken by my friend Rory at a local restaurant a few weeks ago with my phone.

What I like in particular is the open restaurant cheque and pen lying on the table. It almost looks like the person signing it was interrupted midway.

What do you think?

You see, the cheap camera on my phone can sometimes take good pictures!