The department first issued that warning in November last year, but some motorists are still driving around with the old plates.
The KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) Transport Department has issued another warning to motorists who have not moved over to the new number plate system in the province, warning that they will face harsh consequences if they do not comply.
The department first issued that warning in November last year, but some motorists are still driving around with number plates that do not comply with KZN’s official requirements.
Introduction
It first introduced the new number plate system in December 2023, giving motorists a two-year window to make the change.
Department spokesperson Ndabezinhle Sibiya said more than 1 731 774 vehicles have migrated to the new number plate system, but thousands still have to move over to the new plates.
“To date, around 15 000 have not migrated.”
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KZN plates
The provincial government decided to transition to a new system and phase out the old town-specific codes, such as ND for Durban, NP for Pietermaritzburg, NPS for Port Shepstone, and NKR for Richards Bay.
The new licence numbering system instead ends in ZN and uses a continuous numbering system.
“The licence number series, as defined, shall include the coat of arms, the province ID-(KwaZuluNatal), the allocated licence number, the provincial licence mark – ZN and the South African National Standards 1116 prescripts,” according to an entry in the Government Gazette in November last year.
Warning
With KZN authorities cracking down on non-compliance of the new number plate system, Transport MEC Siboniso Duma warned that motorists will face fines, possible vehicle impoundment and even criminal charges for repeat offences, according to The Citizen’s sister publication Berea Mail.
“Repeated offences could lead to a criminal charge and a court appearance. A vehicle may be seized on the spot, and the owner will have to pay for towing and storage to retrieve it,” said Duma.
According to the department, the new system helps curb incidents of hijacking and vehicle theft, particularly in large townships across KZN.
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