According to recent press reports, Gauteng Premier, Mr Andrek Panyaza Lesufi, announced
that 1 April 2024 was the target date for new number plates in Gauteng. While in December
2023 KwaZulu-Natal, Premier Nomusa Dube-Ncube unveiled a new number plate system for
the province, marking an end to the traditional discrete numbering system to a more
vigorous and continuous numbering system.
The new plates will also be very difficult to copy, tamper or fiddle with. The new plates
include a ‘track and trace’ system including data dots making it more difficult for criminals
to travel on the roads after its occupants commit a crime. The new plates also have a QR
code linked to the owner of the vehicle and to notify authorities when the vehicle crosses
the border.
This is expected to align KZN with other regions and the national numbering system, while
addressing the issue of towns running out of available numbers.
To ensure a ‘seamless’ transition, implementation was planned in two phases, with the first
phase focusing on the registration of new vehicles, change of ownership, and re-registration
of stolen-recovered vehicles.
This initial step lays the groundwork for the subsequent phases of the comprehensive
rollout.
The second phase, set to commence on 1 March 2024, will encourage the voluntary
migration of all vehicle owners from the existing system to the new one.
Vehicle owners will have been given a 24-month window to complete this migration, after
which all motor vehicles will automatically be issued with a new format licence number
upon licensing.
The plates are forecast to cost R350 depending on the manufacturer – by the time this gets
implemented and everyone gets their ‘share’ this will probably become R500 ex VAT. This
needs budgeting and planning – a 100 vehicle fleet will cost up to R50 000, never mind
fitting, labour charges etc.
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