Durban — KwaZulu-Natal’s new number plate system has been met with overwhelming enthusiasm by the public, and even number plate manufacturers say they have been kept busy since the new system came into effect this month.
At least 30 000 new registration numbers have been issued this month.
Provincial traffic authorities say the demand and interest continue to grow even though vehicle owners have until the end of 2025 to make the change.
The Transport Department’s Kwanele Ncalane said citizens were “very excited” that the number plates, which indicated which town or area a car was from, would be scrapped.
KZN and the Western Cape were the only provinces that had the old system.
“We want to create one common identity for the province where we are identified as the people of KwaZulu-Natal, so it’s a great opportunity for us to build social cohesion. We’ve seen a lot of interest from motorists in these number plates and we think it presents a new paradigm for the province which is essential,” Ncalane said.
Obtaining a new licence number from licensing departments was free and motorists would have to pay for the renewal of their licence discs only where necessary.
Ncalane said the province was running out of numbers for the old system. In many cases, numbers were allocated from another area, for instance, someone from Richard’s Bay would get a plate indicating that it was from Empangeni.
He said all the new number plates would now end with ZN.
The new system would be rolled out in two phases, starting with the registration of new vehicles, change of ownership, and re-registration of stolen or recovered vehicles.
Ncalane said the second phase would come into effect in March, with the voluntary migration of all vehicle owners to the new system. However, those who wanted to start the process immediately were invited to do so.
“We expect the number to parachute when we reach March because that is when we will be opening it to all vehicle owners, so we don’t think we will reach the level where there will be people who are still stuck on the old numbers when they expire in 24 months.”
He said that once the time was up, vehicles would automatically be issued with a new-format licence number and there would not be any extension periods.
This week, the Independent on Saturday tested the system to give readers an idea of what to expect. It turned out to be a surprisingly quick and easy process.
We headed to the Umbilo Motor Licensing Department on Stellawood Road where we were given a blue form – Application for Registration and Licensing of Motor Vehicle – to complete.
Then, it was straight to a quick-moving queue to a teller who requested the blue document, an ID and proof of address. Then came the printout with a new licence number and a licence disc for the windscreen. Since our licence disc expired last week, we paid the usual renewal fee only.
The teller also indicated that it would not be necessary to apply for a new log book since the vehicle’s details remained the same and were on the system.
Bradley Naidoo, the owner of Exclusive Number Plates at 613 Umgeni Road, said the company was ready for the changeover and open for business.
“It costs R400 a set,” he said.
Orders for new number plates have been rolling in since the changeover.
Hansal Somaru, the owner of Mr Lockey Locksmith Number Plates & Signs in Inanda Road, Hillcrest, said the business had been making 40 to 50 sets of the new number plates daily. He even had calls on public holidays from people eager to have new plates made.
Somaru said businesses that were SABS approved were given the go-head to manufacture the new plates immediately and all their clients needed to bring was a copy of the new licence disc. Within 10 to 15 minutes, they would have a new set.
“People are so excited to have the new-look number plate. Even on Christmas Eve and Boxing Day, we were getting calls from people who wanted to have the new number plates made. Luckily, we have enough stock for the huge demand,” Somaru said.
In Pietermaritzburg, Caspers Number Plates in Hoosen Haffejee Street has been kept busy to meet the demand.
Employee Zahra Rangila said many customers told her they had queued for three hours at the traffic department, and then waited another three hours for their number plates at Caspers.
Rangila said it usually took five minutes to make the number plates, but because of the huge demand, it now took three hours. Many people left and returned to pick them up.
“Everyone seems to be panicking and there’s a bit of excitement.”
Rangila said one woman was worried that she would not make the December deadline for the new number plates and did not realise that the deadline was December 2025. “Maybe it’s the way it was portrayed in the media,” she said.
Independent on Saturday