AA to approach Parly over appointment of IDEMIA as preferred bidder for new driving licences

JOHANNESBURG - The Automobile Association (AA) said it was approaching Parliament over the appointment of French technology company IDEMIA to produce the country’s new smart driving licence cards.

The department announced the company as its preferred bidder over four others.

But the AA said that the value of the contract, its time frames and the reason why IDEMIA was selected needed to be made public.

It said it would approach the Parliarment’s standing committees on transport and public accounts in order to get the department to reveal these details.

AA spokesperson, Layton Beard: "By not taking citizens into its confidence on this important matter, the Department of Transport is effectively laying the groundwork for allegations of impropriety in the allocations of funds, accusations which will taint the process from its inception."