City reminds customers of busy customer office season for transactions
17 November 2020
The City of Cape Town’s busiest times for its customer offices, where customers make payments for municipal services or perform motor vehicle transactions, are generally between the months of November and December. Customers should consider making use of the City’s e-Services and convenient online payment options where possible, and only come into a customer office if there is no other way to conduct their business.
The City’s customer offices are traditionally at their busiest over November and December and this year it is being exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, which has caused lockdown backlogs. There are also strict customer-facing COVID-19 regulations in place that the City must adhere to and that affects turnaround times.
Customer tips
If possible, customers should perform their business online or via e-Services rather than visiting the customer offices
Customers could make use of the various convenient retail payment options available rather than visiting a customer office
If they go to a customer office, they are advised to go early in the morning or to choose another day if they see the lines are too long
Our staff gives preference to pensioners (65 and above) and people with disabilities at all of our customer offices
Customers should always check their motor vehicle licence discs to see when their licence is up for renewal
‘At the motor vehicle licensing counters, where we experience the longest queues, the City has processed more than 900 000 transactions, including motor vehicle licensing and renewal since June 2020. Officials continue working at night and over weekends to clear the COVID-19 backlog, which is a country-wide phenomenon. Under normal, non-pandemic conditions, some 100 000 motor vehicle-related transactions are performed per month across the city. So one can clearly see the immense effort City staff are doing to eradicate the COVID-19 lockdown backlog. There are some 1,3 million registered vehicles in the Cape Town metro that require vehicle licensing services.
‘The number of people in queues has reduced over the past month. However, queues still appear to be long due to the impact of the COVID-19 backlogs and regulations. It remains vital that customers practice social distancing, wear their masks and avoid going into the offices if they can perform their business online or via e-Services. We thank residents for their patience and understanding while we continue to provide services as best as possible,’ said the City’s Mayoral Committee Member for Finance and Executive Deputy Mayor, Alderman Ian Neilson.
Customer offices, which provide cash receiving, account enquiries, motor vehicle registration and licensing services, will be closed on certain days over the festive season. It is important for customers to make their plans ahead of time to visit offices if required or allow for sufficient time to conduct their business online or via e-Services.
Customers are reminded of the following National Transport regulations (note fines are nationally determined, the City may not unilaterally write off fines)
What to expect when visiting an office:
COVID-19 screening at the entrances. Limited number of customers allowed in at a time due to COVID-19 regulations
Social distancing is required and must be adhered to
Visit early in the day. If queues are too long, please consider returning the following day. There are longer queues due to reduced staff allowed to work in one space at the same time at some offices as required by COVID-19 regulations.
You only need your ID for motor vehicle licensing and registration renewals
To check customer office operating hours, please visit the Operations and Service Notifications document on the City’s website or the City’s social media pages ahead of time if unsure
Please remember: Customers can pay their municipal accounts (excluding motor vehicle licenses) at any Shoprite/Checkers, Pick n Pay, PEP, Woolworths and selected Spar stores or at any branch of the Post Office.
For account and rental payments:
EFTs: Select the City as a bank-listed beneficiary. Use only your nine-digit municipal account number as reference
Retailers: Checkers, Pick n Pay, Shoprite, Spar and Woolworths
ATM: contact your bank to add the City as an ATM beneficiary
Post Office
For vehicle licence renewal and payment of pre-due date traffic fines:
Traffic fines:
www.standardbank.co.za (Standard Bank clients only);
www.fnb.co.za (FNB clients only) and
www.paycity.co.za or at the Post Office and selected Spar stores. Standard Bank and First National Bank clients may also pay their pre-due date traffic fines at their respective ATMs.
For motor vehicle registration and licensing assistance, please email Vehicle.Licence@capetown.gov.za
For customers who experience difficulties with the motor vehicle renewal and licensing online transactions, please email Help.Uces@capetown.gov.za
Register on e-Services to:
Renew vehicle licences
Submit water/electricity readings
View current account and account history
Apply to receive accounts via email
Log service requests
To register for e-Services visit: online e-services portal
End
Published by:
City of Cape Town, Media Office
