28/06/2021
Many of our customers who had just recently bought their first car always find hard to understand why they should produce a roadworth certificate or pay for one in the process of changing ownership, here's a brief description of a Road worthy certificate.
It is the proof that the government, police, and traffic department needs, in order to confirm that your vehicle is in safe, working condition and is fit to be used on public roads. This certificate ensures that the vehicle doesn't pose a danger to other road users or the operator of the vehicle.
It is the buyer's responsibility to ensure that the vehicle is roadworthy and that the certificate is valid. Before you are able to receive your license disc, the issuing authority will want a valid roadworthy certificate. While the change of ownership and licensing can be done, you will not be issued a license disc until there is proof that the car is roadworthy.
A RWC ensures that the following is in good working order and within the laws of the country:
identification and documentation
electrical systems
fittings and equipment (including mirrors, safety belts, etc.)
braking system
wheels (including tyre condition)
suspension and undercarriage
steering
engine
exhaust system
transmission and driving instruments
vehicle dimensions
If the car you are interested in buying doesn't have a roadworthy certificate, it doesn't necessarily mean that the vehicle is unroadworthy. The current owner should be able to produce a roadworthy certificate when he/she produces the registration papers, but this is not always the case. Papers do get misplaced and the omission of an RWC doesn't need to be a deal-breaker. Roadworthy certificates are only valid for 60 days but a previous certificate should give you some indication of the roadworthiness of the car.
It will require a modicum of mechanical knowledge to ascertain whether the car you are interested in is likely to pass a roadworthy test or not.
Should there be a glaring issue (for instance worn tyres), these will need to be replaced before the car will pass a roadworthy inspection and a certificate is issued. Some other items will be harder to spot and this is where the mechanical knowledge comes into play.
Don't assume that a repair will not cost much. Sometimes parts can be hard to come by or is an 'agent only' affair. This will eat into your pocket and by the time the car is on the road and roadworthy, the amount that you will have parted with could be very high. Electrical systems can be notoriously expensive and difficult to rectify.
The counter-argument is that once your homework has been done and you have an idea of what the repairs or parts will cost, you can use this as a bargaining tool to further bring the price down. This is most applicable to private sales as most dealers will ensure that the car they are selling is roadworthy and fit for use on the road.
Should you be in need of a RWC don't hesitate to Contact Hlomucar Licensing And Vehicle Registration to assist you
