JMPD Launches Digital Traffic Notice System, Sparking Debate on Scrapping Physical Licence Cards

The Johannesburg Metro Police Department (JMPD) has introduced a new handheld electronic traffic notice issuing system, prompting renewed calls to move South Africa towards a fully digital licensing system.

Public safety MMC Mgcini Tshwaku unveiled the modified smartphones and portable printers for JMPD officers on Friday, 8 August 2025. The devices can verify vehicle and driver’s licence details, flag stolen vehicles or fraudulent cards, and access records from the Electronic National Traffic Information System (eNatis).

According to the City of Johannesburg, the system allows officers to issue notices and capture accident reports within minutes, even during load-shedding or without network coverage.

Driving expert Rob Handfield-Jones, a strong supporter of scrapping physical licence cards and discs, said the technology makes physical documents unnecessary since eNatis already stores all records digitally. He argued that biometric verification, such as fingerprint scanning, could replace physical cards entirely.

The devices being used appear to be Honeywell ScanPal EDA52 units, designed for fast barcode scanning and secure communication between officers and backend systems.

Handfield-Jones believes that if similar devices were deployed nationwide, physical driving licence cards and vehicle discs could be phased out, with biometric checks replacing traditional tokens.