The Gauteng province is getting new number plates before the end of 2023, Dr. Thulani Mdadane, head of the provincial transport department (GDoT), confirmed at a two-day conference in October that sought to review the licensing environment in the province.
The new “tamper-proof” plates – which were shown in prototype form to delegates at the conference – will feature much tighter security features than those that are currently in circulation and are part of the GDoT’s ongoing efforts to combat the spread of fraudulent plates in the region.
Approximately 80% of criminal acts in Gauteng involve the use of a vehicle that is more often than not affixed with falsified number plates, according to the department’s own statistics.
What you need to know
Despite getting enhanced security measures, the GDoT said that Gauteng’s new number plates will retain the current alphanumeric format (e.g. AA 11 AA GP) until the total number of possible combinations is exhausted – which is only expected to happen around 2038.
To develop the new plates, the GDoT established a number plate technical reference group comprising key stakeholders involved in the number plate value chain, law enforcement agencies, and others.
The technical reference group advised the provincial government on which upgrades will be the most suitable to crack down on unlawful cloning, with the final details to be revealed when the plate is launched, said the GDoT.
Public details around the plates are therefore still rather scarce. In October, GDoT spokesperson Lesiba Mpya told News24 that the system will have a cloud-based database of licence plate numbers and artificial intelligence built into it.
“Through the plan, the provincial government will be enabled to account for every vehicle registered in the province. This, it is expected, will bolster crime-fighting efforts, enhance tracking by law-enforcement agencies, and serve as a deterrent,” said the GDoT.
“It is also expected to drastically enhance revenue collection that was lost due to ineffective vehicle identification in traffic fine enforcement.”
Keyword: When Gauteng is getting new number plates