Gauteng has introduced a new generation of tamper-proof, smart number plates as part of a major drive to combat vehicle-related crime, including car theft, number plate cloning, and fraud.
Unveiled as part of a six-month pilot programme, the smart plates feature embedded QR codes and advanced security measures designed to make vehicles easier to track and harder to impersonate.
“Every crime involves a vehicle in some way,” said Gauteng MEC for Roads and Transport, Kedibone Diale-Tlabela. “These smart plates help us trace and track ownership, and regulate who manufactures and issues plates.”
Each plate is equipped with two QR codes:
- One linked to the vehicle’s specifications and owner’s details
- Another identifying the accredited manufacturer or embosser
To tighten controls, only three licensed manufacturers will be allowed to produce the plates nationwide. Accredited service providers will be authorised to issue them, with plans to make the system mandatory once the pilot concludes.
Diale-Tlabela said the smart plates had undergone extensive testing and were found to be virtually tamper-proof — a significant deterrent to vehicle-related crime.
“This is just the beginning,” she said. “As women, as drivers, as communities — we’ve faced too many challenges on our roads. This system is part of the solution.”
The province’s bold move could set a precedent for nationwide adoption as authorities look for innovative ways to tackle South Africa’s persistent vehicle crime problem.