South Africa: All Systems Go for KZN Vehicle Licence Numbering System Rollout

27 November 2023

The KwaZulu-Natal Department of Transport is confident with the state of readiness for the rollout of the new vehicle licence numbering system for the province, which will commence on 1 December 2023.

The department said in the new system, the number plates will not depict the towns and demarcation, but will instead have a continuous numbering system, and all registration numbers issued in the province will be depicted as "ZN".

The department said the changes to the new license numbering system are prompted by the fact that some of the towns have run out of numbers.

"The operationalisation and commencement of the new numbering system also follows a number of consultations with various stakeholders, including the Road Traffic Management Corporation (RTMC), South African Bureau of Standards (SABS), and manufactures of blank number plates.

The security features will also assist in the fight against crime.

"The department has tested the ENaTIS (Electronic National Administration Traffic Information System) system and can confirm that the system is now able to activate the new numbering system, supported by RTMC," the department said.

As part of the process, the department said the final gazette is expected to be published on 30 November 2023.

The gazette has incorporated inputs and views from various stakeholders and the public since the issuing of the first gazette early in November 2023.

The provincial Motor Licensing Bureaus (MLBs) and Road Traffic Information (RTI) will from Tuesday, attend a workshop on changes brought about by the system and its requirements.

The department said registering authorities in the province will also be provided with ongoing support to ensure that the implementation is with limited challenges, if any at all.

"The first phase of the new numbering will cater for the registration of new motor vehicles, re-registration of vehicles to new owners, stolen vehicles that are recovered and re-licenced onto the owner's name and government vehicles. The first phase will commence from 1 December 2023 to 28 February 2024.

"The second phase will commence on 1 March 2024 catering for all vehicle owners to migrate from the current system to a new system. Throughout the 24-month implementation period, motorists will be given 21 months, starting from 1 March 2024, to voluntary migrate to the new system, after which it will be mandatory," the department explained.

AllAfrica publishes around 500 reports a day from more than 100 news organizations and over 500 other institutions and individuals, representing a diversity of positions on every topic. We publish news and views ranging from vigorous opponents of governments to government publications and spokespersons. Publishers named above each report are responsible for their own content, which AllAfrica does not have the legal right to edit or correct.

Articles and commentaries that identify allAfrica.com as the publisher are produced or commissioned by AllAfrica. To address comments or complaints, please Contact us.