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Gauteng launches innovative number plates to fight crime

Gauteng's new number plates have QR (quick response) codes. Image: Supplied The Gauteng provincial government this week launched a new high-tech, tamper-proof and crime-fighting number plate system to be piloted over the next six months on its fleet before being publicly rolled out. According to the provincial Roads and Transport Department, the new intelligent number plate system represents a giant leap as it is a secure, traceable, and smart solution, incorporating tamper-evident decals, forensic QR (quick response) codes, and a fully digitised back-end portal. Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi and Roads and Transport MEC Kedibone Diale-Tlabela officially unveiled the new system on Thursday in Johannesburg. The system's features include the ability to drastically improve the credibility of number plates and to enable license plate tracking within the value chain, from manufacturer to the vehicle owner. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Next Stay Close ✕ 'These technological enhancements are designed to combat vehicle theft, fraud, and cloning, while improving road safety and empowering traffic law enforcement across the province,' the department explained this week. For the next six months, the system will be piloted using g-Fleet vehicles affixed with the technologically advanced new number plates as part of the stress testing project before the provincial rollout. 'This system is set to drastically improve the credibility of number plates and to enable license plate tracking within the value chain, from manufacturer to end user (vehicle owner),' stated the department. In addition, it is hoped that the system will also address longstanding challenges in vehicle registration and the law enforcement framework, tackling cloned or fraudulent license plates, lack of interoperability with Southern African Development Community systems, and inadequate data traceability. Lesufi said his administration, assisted by the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research, is now deploying a digital system that ensures the ability to account for every vehicle on the province's roads. He warned that those using fraudulent or duplicate number plates will have no space or time to drive in Gauteng. Diale-Tlabela said the smart number plates will significantly reduce vehicle cloning, trafficking of stolen vehicles, and the use of falsified plates in criminal activities, as well as disrupt criminal networks and improve road safety. The Gauteng provincial legislature's Portfolio Committee on Transport and Logistics welcomed the strategic introduction of the number plates as an intervention towards safer roads.