NEW SA NUMBER PLATES: From 2017, this is what SA's new number plates are set to display. Image: Twitter / Arrive Alive

UPDATE: The National Department of Transport has released a statement, indicating it will follow through with its plans to introduce new number plates. Click here for the full story.

Cape Town - South Africa will receive new number plates in 2017, reports the Department of Transport.

News of the new number plates first came to light in 2015 when the Department of Transport sent out a notice informing South Africans of its intended plan of action.

The new plates, says the department, will have to be renewed every five years. Wheels24 has contacted the Department of Transport regarding costs and a roll-out plan.

Under the new law, the new number plates must contain:

• SABS certification below the licence mark of the province.

• Four dimensional bar code with QR code.

• The abbreviated name of the manufacturer of the blank number plate.

• The unique non-transferable of the blank number plate.

READ: New number plates for KZN, W Cape

The letters and figures are set to be displayed in the following colours:

• Black - public transport vehicles.

• Blue - general vehicles and personalised number plates.

• Red - government vehicles.

• Green - diplomatic vehicles.

New number plates must display:

• SA flag on the top left corner.

• Licence number and licence mark of the province.

• The name of the province under the SA flag, and centred on top of the number plate.

Read the Department of Transport's full report here.

The number plates will look similar to the images below: Images by the DoT

General number plates: Set to be in blue

Personalised number plates - blue

Government number plates - Red

Diplomatic number plates - Green



Police number plates - Blue

Angry readers respond:



Conradt Stoltz: Just a new bloody money making racket! Unnecessary and certainly ‎unwanted. These idiots should stop focussing on ways the fill there bottomless pockets and concentrate on REAL issues. They can paint the plates polka dot and make it whistle coombaya, I'll still be totally against.



Denys Botes: I am all for change but I cannot stand any type of opportunistic corruption. What is the reason for renewing the number plate every 5 years. Does this mean the car license is valid for 5 yrs as well? And what will this cost? By adding a Barcode etc will again allow for corruption at the highest level as surely this must go out to tender as to who will be responsible for creating this component?



