29. Issue and renewal of a Learner's permit
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(1) On application in the prescribed manner and on payment of the prescribed fee, the Licensing Authority may issue or renew a learner's permit to an applicant who qualifies under this Act for the category of motor vehicle to which the application relates.
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(2) The Licensing Authority shall require the applicant to provide reports of the applicant's vision, hearing, mental and physical fitness to determine whether the applicant is able to drive without threatening road safety.
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(3) A learner's permit authorises the holder to drive a motor vehicle of the category stipulated in the permit subject to the following restrictions —
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(a) the holder shall not drive unless accompanied by a holder of a valid driver's licence for that category of motor vehicle who has held a valid driver's licence for at least 5 years;
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(b) the holder shall drive only during the hours prescribed for learning to drive;
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(c) the holder shall not drive in any prescribed area in which motor vehicles driven by learners are prohibited;
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(d) the motor vehicle displays the letter L in the prescribed manner;
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(e) the holder shall not drive a motor vehicle while it is being used to draw a trailer or for conveying passengers; and
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(f) any other restriction that the Licensing Authority considers necessary.
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(4) A learner's permit is valid for 6 months and may be renewed and the provisions of this section shall apply with the necessary modifications in respect of an application for renewal.
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(5) For the purposes of subsection (3)(e) passenger does not include the driving instructor and the holder of the learner's permit driving the vehicle.
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(6) Where a contravention of subsection (3)(b) to (f) occurs the driving instructor shall be deemed to have committed the offence if —
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(a) the driving instructor was present in the motor vehicle; or
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(b) the driving instructor was not present in the vehicle but the holder of the learner's permit was acting under the driving instructor's directions, authorisation or supervision,
and the driving instructor is liable to the same penalty as the person who is the holder of the learner's permit driving the vehicle.
(Amended by Act 10 of 2006)