South African Transport Department has No Plans to Change Number Plates: Report

A report published in IOL has claimed hat the news regarding change in South Africa’s number plates is a hoax.

According to IOL, Ishmael Mnisi – the spokesman of the Department of Transport – has said that there are no plans yet to change the number plates with standard designs in the country.

“The document that has been doing the rounds is not authentic, and neither has the department made a determination to the effect reflected therein,” he said.

Mnisi said the department will investigate the source of the document and take action against the people behind it.

“We condemn the fabricated document with the contempt it deserves and urge all South Africans to ignore it while we investigate its source,” he said.

Earlier on Wednesday, a report published by MyBroadband had claimed that South Africa is set to get new number plates in 2017. The report claimed that Department of Transport Notice had first officially mentioned about new national number plates on 28 January 2015 in Government Gazette No. 38430, and public comments were invited for draft regulation amendments at the time of their publication. According to the report, Arrive Alive, in the 2016 TruckX conference, had said that the new number plates will be introduced in 2017 and must be renewed every five years. The new embossed aluminum plates will contain the national flag of South Africa, with background printed under a coat of a retro-reflective surface. The word “LIMPOPO” will indicate the Limpopo province, “GAUTENG” for Gauteng province and so on. The new plates would also the abbreviated name of the manufacturer.

As per draft regulations, different categories of plates will be: (1) Personalised plates (blue) and Government plates (red), (2) Public transport plates (black), (3) General plates (blue), and (4) Diplomatic and SAPS plates (green).

Justice Project South Africa chairman Howard Dembovsky, while speaking to MyBroadband, revealed that the new number plate regulations are yet to be promulgated, and that there are positives as well as negatives aspects associated with new number plates.