Gauteng is getting new number plates as part of an ongoing plan to combat crime in the province, according to the Gauteng MEC for Transport and Logistics, Kedibone Diale-Tlabela.
The new registration process for the manufacturers of vehicle licence plates was officially opened by the MEC on Monday, 3 July.
“Over the years, we have witnessed numerous challenges arising from non-compliant number plates, such as compromised safety, an increase in vehicle-related crime, and a lack of accountability from manufacturers,” Diale-Tlabela said on Monday.
New plates
In February 2023, Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi announced that the province will be introducing new number plates with tightened security features, which will make it difficult for criminals to get away with acts of criminality, wrote SAnews.
The measures are intended to crack down on crime, corruption, vandalism, and lawlessness in the province through the enforcement of Section 5 of the National Road Traffic Act, which strictly prohibits manufacturers from engaging in the manufacturing, selling, or distribution of number plates without proper registration.
“The department is taking a proactive stance in securing the entire value chain, from manufacturing to distribution, ensuring that motor vehicle owners can have confidence in the legitimacy and quality of their number plates,” said Diale-Tlabela.
The new plates are tamper-proof and difficult to clone, and Lesufi has said that he wants to work with the Southern African Development Community (SADC) to develop a database of all vehicles in the country to keep track of all the cars entering and leaving South Africa, reported BusinessTech.
Manufacturers will be required to submit their licence applications to compliance inspectors to ensure accuracy on their part. The inspectors will also examine the production sites of embossers to verify that they are adhering to regulations.
Approved applications will then need their manufacturers to pay the associated costs and sign a Service Level Agreement with the Gauteng Department of Roads and Transport.
These changes are occurring at a time when Gauteng is running out of numerical and alphabetical combinations for its plates, and so the province is using this as an opportunity to overhaul the system, according to the Premier.
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