SEE: Gauteng pilots new high-security number plates
The Gauteng government launched a pilot project for the new number plate system on Thursday, saying it will decrease the use of counterfeit or cloned plates.
Speaking at the Nasrec Expo Centre in Johannesburg, Premier Panyaza Lesufi said new number plates will assist with revenue collection, regulation of roadworthiness and insurance.
The new number plates feature an embedded QR code, the National flag, and a tamper-evident security decal fixed to enhance anti-counterfeiting measures.
By introducing tamper-proof plates embedded with QR codes and self-destructing decals, the #GPNumberPlate system aims to deter the use of counterfeit or cloned plates, which are often employed in criminal activities. #TacklingG13 #AgaLeRona #GrowingGautengTogether pic.twitter.com/HF18NtjsJV
— GP Roads and Transport (@GPDRT_) June 5, 2025
During the unveiling, Lesufi said the government fleet management vehicles will be fitted with the new number plates as part of the six-month pilot project, before a provincial rollout.
The premier added that fighting crime in the province needs an overhaul of the car registration system.
“Because, like it or not, 85% of the crime that happens in Gauteng, a motor vehicle is involved. Either it is a getaway, or that car itself is stolen, or the registration of that car is faulty,” said Lesufi.
“We took advantage because we were also running out of the number sequence. We used to have a number plate ending with ‘T’ standing for ‘Transvaal’, we migrated to ‘GP,’ but it was three letters and three numbers, now we have two numbers, two letters and two numbers. With this one and two, we are running out of a number sequence. So we are taking advantage of a new digital system.”
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