For nearly three months, motorists in Gauteng have been hearing about the province’s trial of new “smart” licence plates. Marketed as a breakthrough in the fight against crime, the plates are meant to make vehicle cloning and plate tampering significantly more difficult. Yet, despite the bold promises, clarity on their cost and practical rollout remains absent.

Civil rights organisation AfriForum has publicly criticised the Gauteng Department of Roads and Transport (GDRT) for withholding critical details about pricing and implementation. With millions of vehicles registered in Gauteng, the unanswered questions are pressing: How much will it cost? Who will pay? And will it make the roads safer?

Why New Licence Plates Are Being Introduced

Premier Panyaza Lesufi first announced the initiative in 2024, presenting it as a safety measure. According to the premier, each new plate will carry:

• A decal that provides visible proof of authenticity.
• An embedded QR code linked to a centralised database.

Together, these features are expected to make plates far more difficult to duplicate.

The motivation lies in the reality of Gauteng’s crime profile. A significant proportion of serious offences — including hijackings, armed robberies, and trafficking of stolen goods — involve vehicles with cloned or falsified plates. Police frequently find themselves unable to trace offenders because multiple vehicles appear to carry the same registration number.

If successful, the new system could limit the circulation of false plates and improve the accuracy of traffic enforcement, automated tolling, and crime detection.

AfriForum Calls for Transparency

Despite the potential benefits, AfriForum has expressed deep concerns about the lack of communication from the GDRT. In a recent statement, spokesperson Louis Boshoff stressed that the public deserves to know both the cost implications and the timeframes for compliance.

According to Boshoff, requiring millions of Gauteng motorists to replace their plates without first disclosing the financial impact is unreasonable. “The premier wants seven million new Gauteng licence plates manufactured, but is not prepared to disclose how much it will cost — this is unacceptable,” Boshoff said.

AfriForum’s stance reflects a broader frustration with government transparency. Large-scale regulatory changes that directly affect citizens typically require detailed consultation and financial clarity. In this case, many feel that motorists are being asked to accept a sweeping reform without being informed of its practical consequences.

Pilot First, Answers Later

The Gauteng Department of Roads and Transport has taken a cautious line. Officials state that the plates are still in the pilot phase, currently being tested on government vehicles until the end of 2025. Only once the trial concludes will final specifications, costs, and compliance rules be communicated.

The department argues that no disclosure is possible until the plates have undergone stress testing and debugging. This includes examining how they perform under weather conditions, tampering attempts, and system integration with law enforcement databases.

From the department’s perspective, releasing incomplete figures now risks misleading the public. They maintain that once finalised, the plates will form part of a 24/7 monitored system, directly linked to a central database to verify authenticity at any given time.

The “Smart Plate” System Explained

The new plates are not simply cosmetic. They are intended to create a digitally secure identity for every vehicle.

• Database connection: Each plate number will be permanently tied to an entry on a centralised, government-controlled database.
• Instant verification: Police and traffic authorities will be able to scan the QR code and confirm immediately whether a plate is valid.
• Tamper resistance: Stress testing is expected to prove that plates cannot be altered without detection.

The expectation is that such a system will:

• Curb plate cloning, where multiple vehicles illegally carry the same registration.
• Reduce the trafficking of stolen vehicles by making falsified plates harder to use.
• Strengthen traffic enforcement by ensuring accurate identification of vehicles.

In theory, this is a significant advance over traditional plates, which can be easily copied at low cost.

AfriForum’s Counterpoint: Technology Is Not Enough

AfriForum, however, remains unconvinced. Boshoff notes that criminals often use vehicles with no plates at all — something no amount of digital coding can solve. “As long as criminals drive with no licence plates on their vehicles, it will make no difference what type of licence plates they are. The solution lies in better law enforcement, not new gimmicks,” he said.

This criticism highlights an important issue: technology cannot replace policing. Even the most advanced licence plate system will only succeed if backed by consistent law enforcement, visible policing, and effective prosecution of offenders.

The Scale of the Rollout

The potential scope of this project is vast. Gauteng is home to more than seven million registered vehicles, making it the largest vehicle base in South Africa. If all are required to replace their plates, the rollout would be one of the biggest logistical exercises in the province’s transport history.

Motorists are eager to know:

• Will the replacement be mandatory for all vehicles or phased in with renewals?
• Will there be grace periods to reduce the financial burden?
• Will costs be borne entirely by motorists, or will the government subsidise part of the programme?

Without answers, speculation continues, fuelling mistrust.

Lessons From Other Jurisdictions

Globally, similar initiatives have been tried with varying degrees of success. Some jurisdictions have implemented radio-frequency identification (RFID) tags or digital barcoding on plates, primarily for tolling and enforcement purposes.

These systems often achieve technical success but encounter resistance when costs are passed directly to citizens. In many cases, the public is willing to accept new measures if:

• The price is reasonable,
• The rollout is well-communicated, and
• Authorities prove that the system meaningfully reduces crime.

For Gauteng, the challenge lies not only in proving the technical capability of the plates but also in winning public confidence through transparency.

Public Trust, Cost, and Compliance

The success of the new licence plate system will hinge on three key factors:

1. Trust – Motorists need confidence that the programme is being introduced in good faith, with clear communication about its necessity and scope.
2. Cost – If plate replacement proves too expensive, compliance will suffer and resentment will rise.
3. Compliance – Enforcement must be consistent, with no tolerance for vehicles driving unplated or with outdated plates.

Without these pillars, even the most advanced system risks failing in practice.

Looking Ahead

Until the trial concludes in late 2025, Gauteng motorists will remain in the dark about costs and timelines. For now, the focus is on government vehicles as a test case, with results expected to guide the full rollout.

For the average motorist, the uncertainty is frustrating. Buying new plates for millions of vehicles represents a major expense, and the province has yet to explain how this will be managed. Transparency will be critical if the initiative is to succeed without backlash.

VDM Attorneys – Advising on Regulatory Compliance

Transport-related regulatory changes often leave individuals and businesses with unanswered questions. Whether you are a private motorist, a business with a fleet, or a dealership, the rollout of Gauteng’s new licence plates will likely have financial and operational implications.

At VDM Attorneys, our legal team assists clients in understanding their rights and obligations under new regulations. We provide guidance on compliance, enforcement, and the broader legal impact of government initiatives. With our expertise in administrative and regulatory law, we ensure that our clients are equipped to make informed decisions and, where necessary, challenge unclear or unfair processes.