Minister of Works and Transport Veikko Nekundi said the ministry will soon introduce an online booking and payment system at the NATIS centres countrywide.

This will ease ongoing congestion at the NATIS centres.

Nekundi announced this while delivering a ministerial statement in the National Assembly today.

Nekundi revealed that the number of vehicles in Namibia is now more than 400,000, with a driver population of around 380,000.

He pointed out challenges such as long waiting periods and slow-moving queues, avoidable travelling costs, and scammers trading on the premises, as well as oppressive, purposeful acts to fail clients, which will be addressed.

The Transport Minister said the current system at NATIS cannot accommodate the growing population's needs and often causes congestion, thus necessitating the need for digital interventions.

"The Ministry of Work and Transport and each agency, including NATIS, is undertaking a transformational process to address and mitigate the prior outlined case to receive the NATIS services. The immediate transformational programmes underway are the book and pay module, their computerised learner licence system, e-driver licences and their automated driving testing system."

The minister added that a 30-minute computerised learner's licence test will also be introduced, as the current method is associated with purposeful failure of customers.

He said a walk-in service will still be available for those who prefer the traditional method.

The Ministry, in collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Water, and Land Reform, has also been successful in acquiring land in the Wanaheda settlement, where a new NATIS centre will be constructed to further help address the congestion issue.

The minister also revealed that an e-driver's licence that can be kept on gadgets would also be introduced to avoid unnecessary fines, leading to the Magistrate's Courts also being congested.