Learner driven mad by officials' carelessness

TRANSPORT officials were grossly careless in misinforming a learner driver that he had passed the examination, leaving him with short-lived joy, the ombudsman said yesterday.

An ombudsman inquiry report revealed that the Transport Department had issued a document to tell the learner that he had passed the driving test.

But when the learner called on a licensing office for a driving licence, he found he had failed. The person was referred to one office after the other when he tried to clarify the matter.

The ombudsman substantiated the learner's complaint despite the department's objection. It said the learner had been left with 'short-lived joy, frustration and embarrassment'.

The department only admitted that it was a 'clerical error', and argued that the complainant had selectively used evidence favourable to his cause.

It added an adequate though belated explanation had been made.