Check your traffic fines: The rise of cloned number plates in South Africa
Image: File
South African motorists are being urged to verify that any traffic fines attributed to them are accurate, as the alarming issue of cloned number plates continues to escalate.
Rob Hutchinson, founder of Dear South Africa, highlights the severity of this problem, noting that it has prompted the Gauteng provincial government to initiate a pilot programme for a new licence plate system earlier this year. This pilot will last for six months before being implemented across the province and eventually throughout the country.
The provincial government has indicated that the new plates make use of technological advancements that are aimed at tracking criminal activities, such as vehicle theft, fraud and cloning.
Hutchinson said countrywide statistics show that one in five number plates are cloned and that judging from the feedback he receives from hundreds of subscribers on portal.finessa.co.za, the issue of incorrect fines is significantly greater than he thought.
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Law For All managing director Jackie Nagtegaal said the onus is on the individual as the legitimate owner to prove their innocence and that motorists can 'commit traffic crimes' without their knowledge.
Hutchinson added that in most cases, motorists may not even realise that they have a fine, and it is vital to check for fines listed in one's name.
"An overdue fine, whether yours or not, could result in a warrant for your arrest. Being handed a warrant at a roadblock would be an unfortunate and abrupt end to your journey," he warned.
He said that checking for fines is by no means an acknowledgement of a fine.
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