ZITF instant driver's licence printing a hit

In a breakthrough for service delivery, hundreds of citizens have received their plastic driver's licences within minutes of passing road tests at the ongoing Zimbabwe International Trade Fair (ZITF), marking a dramatic improvement from the traditional process that often took weeks or even months.

In a collaborative effort with the Vehicle Inspectorate Department (VID), the Transport Ministry launched a service that allows applicants to complete their road tests at VID depots before heading to the Transport Ministry stand at ZITF for immediate licence printing. This new model has reduced the long wait times that have previously plagued the licensing system.

Long queues of eager applicants can be seen daily at the ministry’s booth, where officials, equipped with portable printing technology, are swiftly producing the driver's licences.

"This is revolutionary. I passed my test this morning and had my licence by 10:20 am. No endless follow-ups or delays," said Josphat Moyo, a 24-year-old Bulawayo resident who benefited from the service.

Gladys Ndlovu, a teacher from Bulawayo, echoed Moyo’s sentiments, sharing how her brother waited for three months to receive his driver’s licence in 2024. "This proves our systems can work when there is commitment," she added.

The prompt service comes amid public frustration with bureaucratic inefficiencies in various government departments, including delays in issuing passports, national identity documents, and birth certificates.

A Transport Ministry employee at the ZITF booth described the project as a "proof of concept" for tech-driven service delivery. "By integrating digital systems and decentralising processes, we have shown that delays are not inevitable. This model can — and should — be scaled," she said.

In support of the digital transformation in service delivery, Deputy Minister of Higher and Tertiary Education, Innovation, Science and Technology Development, Simelizezwe Sibanda, praised the high standards of innovations on display at ZITF. "We are putting in place support systems from funding opportunities to mentorship programmes and ensuring these innovations reach the market and begin contributing meaningfully to our economy," Sibanda noted.

The move to streamline the driver's licence issuance process at ZITF has been hailed as a significant step towards improving public sector efficiency. Observers have said that the event is rapidly becoming a bridge between invention and enterprise, as the focus on innovation begins to show tangible results for citizens.