Latest news with #Fick
IOL News
12-05-2025
- Automotive
- IOL News
Department of Transport seeks interim fix for licence card backlog
The Department of Transport says it is trying to find an interim solution to address the issue of reliance on the current driving licence card machine. The Department of Transport is on a mission to find an interim solution to address the issue of reliance on the current driving licence card machine. The department was responding to a statement by the Organisation Undoing Tax Abuse (Outa) following the announcement that the machine had been repaired and operations resumed. The breakdown of the machine, according to the department, led to a backlog of more than 700 000 outstanding cards waiting to be printed. Outa said the machine is prone to regular breakdowns and is bound to break down again. The organisation said the machine also lacks modern security features. Outa said it is still waiting for the department to provide a solution to this problem. This was the 160th time the printer had broken down, based on a recent statement from the department. 'It is a relief to hear that the machine has been repaired, but the question is how soon it will break down again. This old card machine is prone to regular breakdowns and is bound to break down again. It is also seriously lacking in modern security features,' said Stefanie Fick, Outa's executive director. Fick said the long-term solution is the finalisation of the new driving licence card solution, adding that this should be done either through a tender awarded to a private company or through the government printing works, which manages the printing of the ID cards for the Department of Home Affairs. 'We want a new machine procured, and we want the validity of the cards extended to 10 years.' In its announcement on Thursday, the department said there was a backlog of 747 748 cards waiting to be printed, with a maximum production capacity of 14 000 to 19 000 cards in a 14-hour shift. The Driving Licence Card Account (DLCA) has been trying to procure another machine for years, but repeatedly cancelled and reissued the tender. Department of Transport spokesperson, Collion Msibi, said they are working on finding an interim solution in order to address the issue of reliance on the current machine. Msibi added an interim solution would be a better solution while the department awaits the court decision on the declaratory order on the tender process. In August last year, the DLCA awarded the tender for the new machine to Idemia and Security South Africa for R898 597 131. In March 2025, Transport Minister Barbara Creecy announced that she had instructed her department to lodge a declaratory order regarding the tender. Her decision was influenced by the findings from the Auditor-General (AG) report, which identified instances of non-compliance with the required procurement process. However, Outa said it appeared that the court application did not go ahead. The organisation said its chief executive officer, Wayne Duvenage wrote to the Minister and asked for an update on the situation on March 27. However, no reply has been received yet. In the letter, Duvenage said Outa had heard that the department's legal department and Director-General had warned Creecy against cancelling the Idemia contract. Duvenage said the AG report was clear in its flagging of several irregularities and recommended that the awarding of the tender be cancelled. The organisation said the DLCA does not appear to have issued a new tender for the machine, instead the entity issued a tender looking at how to make more money out of the driving licence cards. Cape Argus
Yahoo
04-03-2025
- Yahoo
2 People Killed After Driver Crashes Tesla into Suburban Illinois Home and Bursts into Flames
Two people were killed in a fiery car crash on Sunday, March 2, in Woodridge, Ill., according to the Lisle-Woodridge Fire Department. Authorities responded to the call about a car fire around 8:45 p.m. after the driver lost control of their Tesla, went off the road, hit multiple trees and crashed into the side of a home in Woodridge (which is approximately 30 miles southwest of Chicago). While en route, the fire department was alerted that the home was in flames, too. Debris from the crash were strewn across the home's lawn and the block, per NBC 5. Upon arrival, authorities found both the car and home in flames. The two people in the car were removed from the vehicle and pronounced dead at the scene. The two victims have not been publicly identified. No one inside the home was injured. The fires were contained within 20 minutes of the fire department's arrival. There were 'continued cooling efforts on the vehicle,' and first responders did not leave the site until 1 a.m. on Monday, March 3, per the news release. The cause of the crash remains under investigation. Related: Driver Killed, Passenger Injured After Tesla Crashes and Bursts into Flames in New York City: Witnesses "Just all of a sudden, I heard a bang from my house and came out, and there was a bunch of damage to the trees. Looks like somebody drove off the curb and into a house," neighbor Adam Fick said, per WGN 9. 'It's a shame,' Fick told the Chicago Sun-Times. 'I'm praying for the families and hoping they get through this through the hands of God.' Related: 4 Killed After a Tesla Crash Sparks Fire in Toronto: 'A Very Horrific Scene' 'As soon as I heard a loud bang, I saw the vehicle go right into the house,' John Klecyngier, a neighbor, told Fox 32. 'As soon as I saw that, I saw the flames, I heard the screaming. I pulled the video off my cameras and sure enough, it's the car going at an extremely high rate of speed.' 'I was just sitting in the house with my wife and my son, getting ready to put my son to bed. We heard a couple loud booms,' another neighbor, named Jason, said, per WGN 9. 'We first thought it was someone just blowing fireworks in the neighborhood, then we heard another boom probably about 20 seconds later.' Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. Representatives for the Lisle-Woodridge Fire Department and the DuPage County Coroner did not immediately respond to PEOPLE's request for more information on Monday. Read the original article on People
CBC
06-02-2025
- CBC
Lethbridge mother charged with criminal negligence in death of 13-year-old son
A 38-year-old woman from Lethbridge is facing charges of criminal negligence causing death and failing to provide the necessaries of life in connection with the death of her 13-year-old son. Officers responded to the sudden death of the boy, whose body was found along the 1600 block of Mayor Magrath Drive S. on Boxing Day. Lethbridge police allege the boy and his mother, Blanche Isobel Irene Fick, were taking drugs around 5 p.m. on Christmas Day when he overdosed at a home on the south side of the city. A man whom police refer to as an acquaintance tried to save the boy's life, officers say, and a call to 911 was made. However, when first responders got to the home, police allege Fick hid the boy and lied about where he was to avoid arrest because he had previously been reported missing. Investigators say later that evening Fick and her son left the home and walked to a nearby business. Evidence gathered pointed to the boy being in medical distress, police say, and surveillance footage showed the two spending the night on the street. The boy never moved from the ground and at no time were paramedics called, Lethbridge police say. At around 2 p.m. the next day, investigators say Fick reported she had found her son dead. The boy's cause of death is still unclear, however toxicology results are pending.
Yahoo
06-02-2025
- Yahoo
Lethbridge mother charged with criminal negligence in death of 13-year-old son
A 38-year-old woman from Lethbridge is facing charges of criminal negligence causing death and failing to provide the necessaries of life in connection with the death of her 13-year-old son. Officers responded to the sudden death of the boy, whose body was found along the 1600 block of Mayor Magrath Drive S. on Boxing Day. Lethbridge police allege the boy and his mother, Blanche Isobel Irene Fick, were taking drugs around 5 p.m. on Christmas Day when he overdosed at a home on the south side of the city. A man whom police refer to as an acquaintance tried to save the boy's life, officers say, and a call to 911 was made. However, when first responders got to the home, police allege Fick hid the boy and lied about where he was to avoid arrest because he had previously been reported missing. Investigators say later that evening Fick and her son left the home and walked to a nearby business. Evidence gathered pointed to the boy being in medical distress, police say, and surveillance footage showed the two spending the night on the street. The boy never moved from the ground and at no time were paramedics called, Lethbridge police say. At around 2 p.m. the next day, investigators say Fick reported she had found her son dead. The boy's cause of death is still unclear, however toxicology results are pending. Fick is scheduled to appear in court on Friday.
