Getting my first vehicle license

Getting my first vehicle license has been a pain of note.

I bought myself a small bike privately and managed to transfer it into my name painlessly (I handed the Transfer of Ownership form in with my ID and the sellers ID), but now the license disc has expired. Thus began my long arduous journey. (Please note that this journey is long and arduous because this is the first time, virgin experience of SA departmental effeciency).

According to some friends you can get a licenese disc from the Post Office so:

Attempt 1: I went to a Post Office that does not do Motor Vehicle Licensing

Attempt 2: Managed to get to the right Post Office, but the system was offline.

Attempt 3: The system was online, but I had to fill in a form. Lunch was over due to the long queue I had to wait in to find this out

Attempt 4: I brought the filled in form and handed it in and I was told I had to go to the vehicle licence office. I asked why and was told that they didn't know (had to go to the licence department to find out)

Attempt 5: After waiting in the queue for 2 hours I am told that I cannot get my licence because I need a Road Worthy Certificate.

Attempt 6: I am going to take a day off work so that I can do the next 6 attempts all in one day.

So for those of you making your first private vehicle purchase and need some help remember the following documents.
1. Your ID
2. A copy of your ID
3. An Application for Licensing of Motor Vehicle Form (Available from the Post Office or Motor License Office)
4. Your original Certificate of Registration
5. A copy of your Certificate of Registration
6. A RWC (Road Worthy Certificate)

For details on johnnesburg Motor Licensing Departments see below(Copied from this website http://www.joburg.org.za/licences)

Langlaagte Licensing and Testing Department
Cnr Church and Main Reef roads
Langlaagte
Tel: 011 837 5527/28
Business hours: 8am to 3pm

Services offered:

• Renewal of vehicle licences
• Testing for driver's licences
• Issuing of roadworthy certificates
• Conversion of foreign licences to SA licences
• Weight bridge
• Testing for learner's licences
• Issuing of professional driving permits

Langlaagte is the only station for foreign driver's license conversions.

Midrand Licensing Department
Cnr Dale and Rainbow roads
Halfway House
Tel: 011 256 8580 / 8576
Business hours: 7.30am to 3pm

Services offered:

• Vehicle registrations*
• Renewal of vehicle licences
• Driver's licence renewal
• Driver's and learner's licence tests

Randburg Licensing DepartmentCivic Centre
Cnr Bram Fischer Drive and Jan Smuts Avenue
Randburg
Tel: 011 919 5700 / 5710 / 5734 / 5748
Business hours: 7.30am to 3pm

Services offered:

• Driver's licence renewals
• Payment of traffic fines
• Renewal of vehicle licences
• Vehicle registrations*
• Testing for learner's licences

Randburg Testing Station5 Hans Schoeman Avenue
Malanshof, Randburg
Tel: 011 791 3480/1
Business hours: 7.30am to 3pm

Services offered:

• Testing for driver's licences
• Issuing of roadworthy certificates
• Weight bridge

Roodepoort Licensing DepartmentTown Hall
Cnr Berlandina and Dieperink streets
Roodepoort
Tel: 011 761 6335 / 6278
Business hours: 7.30am to 3pm

Services offered:

• Vehicle registrations*
• Renewal of vehicle licences

Roodeport Testing Station
West Lake Avenue
Florida
Tel: 011 672 2100/011 672 2138
Business hours: 7.30am to 3pm

Services offered:

• Testing for driver's and learner's licences
• Issuing of roadworthy certificates
• Renewal of driver's licence cards
• Weight bridge

Sandton Licensing and Testing Departmentc/o 8th and 9th Street, Marlboro Gardens, Marlboro
(011) 3216300 (T)
(011) 3216371 (F)
Business hours: 7.30am to 3pm

Services offered:

• Vehicle registrations*
• Issuing and renewal of vehicle licences
• Testing for learner's and driver's licences
• ID-type driver's licence renewals
• Payment of traffic fines

Satellite centres

The following People's Centres are able to process licensing renewals but only for those motorists who have received their white renewal notices:

Jabulani Customer Service Centre
Sophie Masite Civic Centre
1 Koma Road
Jabulani
Tel: 011 986 0178

Services offered:

• Renewal of motor vehicle licences

Rosettenville (People's Centre - Region 9)
Eureka House
92 Marlborough Road
Springfield
Tel: 011 681 8041
Business hours: 7.30am to 3pm

Services offered:

• Renewal of vehicle licences

Ennerdale Customer Service Centre
Cnr Katz and Louw streets
Ennerdale Ext 9
Tel: 011 213 0012
Business hours: 7.30am to 3.30pm but closed between 12.30pm and 1pm

Services offered:

• Renewal of vehicle licences

Bloody IPhone and Bloody Gmail

I've been lucky to get myself an IPhone 4. While there are some awesome things about the phone it is quite strange to be working for the first time with an Apple product.

I think this example is a good case in point.

I was trying to setup my Gmail on this Steve Jobs, keep it simple device. Went into settings, chose Gmail as my mail provider, entered my user name and password and whaalaa. All done, it downloaded my mail. However I never heard from my phone again (i.e. it never told me there was mail in my mailbox).

So I started Googling. I found an app called IGMail. Downloaded it, installed it, ran the setup and found I was in exactly the same position.
Did more Googling! Found that I need to Pay for the push application!

Did more Googling!!
Finally I found through Gmail Help that you actually need to set it up as a Microsoft Exchange Mail! Can you believe it! Must be that Google and Apple are not getting along well as they enter similar markets together.

For those of you suffering with the same problem do the following.
Delete your old GMail account on your IPhone.
Create a new Account, Choose MS Exchange
Email Address: Your full GMail email Address
Domain: Leave Blank, Do Not put any info in here
UserName: Your full Gmail email Address
Password: Your GMail Password
Then click done at the top. It will say verifying for a few seconds. Then it will return to the previous screen with an extra field, "Server"
Type m.google.com
and click Done again.
Congratulations! Problem solved! Immediate notifaction of email, Wooohooo! You have joined the world where you have to use Microsoft to get your Apple to work.

Looking for a new way to Learn Chinese for free

I'm looking again at improving my Chinese again. Having spent two years in China (the best way to improve your Chinese) I am now back in SA and have found that my Chinese has slipped drastically.
Chatting to the Chinese Take Away Cashiers just doesn't cut it.
I have considered going to a physical class here in JHB's China Town, but having spent a lot of time learning from a Beijinger I am loathe to spend a lot of time studying with a Tiawanese teacher, as most of them are here.
Therefore I revert back to a wonderful discovery I made about 3 years ago Chinese Podcasts... Back then it was Chinesepod.com that was so awesome. Unfortunately that ship has sailed and you now need to pay subscription fees to be able to access the content. (If you are willing and able then I HIGHLY recommend them, lots of awesome tools for you to learn the way you want to)
There are so many rubbish podcasts, audio snippets etc. out there to listen to, none of them carry the fun and interest that Chinesepod always made sure you could get.
I tried CRI English, IMandarinPod, Melnyck etc and all of them are not right for me.

However there now seems to be light at the end of the tunnel! Pop Up Chinese! Seems like lots of fun.
Maybe I will get the chance to let you know how it goes in future