Getting a driver’s license isn’t easy, but learners might get their first taste of road rage when adding up the total costs of being legally allowed to drive.
Getting a driver’s license isn’t easy, but learners might get their first taste of road rage when adding up the total costs of being legally allowed to drive.
For some young people attending local schools or the university, they simply don’t have the cash to get a license because it’s so expensive.
Booking a learner’s license test costs R213. After passing, you then pay an additional R69 for the license to be issued.
You have two years before it expires.
According to a driving instructor who asked not to be named, most learners will go for at least 10 lessons, which costs approximately R1 500 in Grahamstown.
To book the test for a driver’s license costs R294. If you pass, you then have to fork out an additional R216 to have your license issued.
That brings the total cost to R2 292 just to be able to drive on South African roads – never mind the cost of a car. This is, of course, assuming that you pass both your learner’s and driver’s tests the first time around, and you only need 10 lessons.
Many people do not pass the first, second or even the third time, like Rhodes graduate Tayani van Eeden, who now lives in Taiwan.
Van Eden says she spent over R8 000 on her four attempts to get her license – and is yet to pass.
You’re also expected to cough up the R294 booking fee every time you apply to re-take the driver’s test.
Another student who spent a small fortune on numerous attempts at getting her license, Kirtanya Reddy, believes the whole process takes advantage of people.
“It’s a money-making scheme,” she said, adding that she spent about R5 000.
Lessons in Grahamstown are also not the cheapest around.
Student Kristen Wagner says it’s frustrating spending so much when she knows friends in Sandton only pay R100 per lesson.
Grahamstown resident Robert van der Merwe says he gave up on getting a license after spending around R6 000.
“It’s simply too expensive and I don’t have the money to try again,” he said.
Kingswood College pupil Karla Wilby feels part of the problem is that many people in town are borders or students away from home who don’t have access to free lessons from their parents.
