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DA calls for SABS to urgently implement corrective findings against corruption and maladministration By Toby Chance MP - DA Spokesperson on Trade, Industry & Competition Date: 26 March 2026 Release: immediate
Number plate cartel allegedly taking motorists for a ride in South Africa
A group of companies that manufacture vehicle licence plates in South Africa are being prosecuted for allegedly engaging in price fixing and customer exploitation.
The Competition Commission recently noted that the three accused companies – Uniplate, Unique Number Plate, and New Number Plate Requisites (NNPR) – manufacturer number plate blanks.
This refers to unfinished and unprinted vehicle registration plates that will be used to create official licence plates.
These plates are typically made from materials like Perspex or aluminium.
According to the investigation, the three companies formed a cartel and colluded to fix prices on number plate blanks supplied to customers across South Africa.
“They are alleged to have entered into an agreement and/or engaged in a concerted practice to fix prices and trading conditions for the supply of number plate blanks to, among others, embossers,” said the commission.
This practice dates back to at least June 2023, meaning that, if the allegations are true, motorists have been paying artificially inflated prices for almost three years.
The report further claims that drivers in KwaZulu-Natal were worse-affected than others, as the cartel isolated and specifically targeted the province.
“The companies further agreed to impose a surcharge of R10 on all number plate blanks sold in KwaZulu-Natal,” it said.
One of the three companies, Uniplate, is the considered the biggest producer and distributor of licence plate blanks and embossing machines in South Africa.
The company agreed on the amounts and dates for price increases, and coordinated when each would issue price increase letters.
All three companies are now being referred to prosecutors in the Competition Tribunal over these alleged practices.
If they are successfully convicted of contravening section 4(1)(b)(i) of the Competition Act, they will be liable to pay an administrative penalty of up to 10% of their respective turnover.
Not the first time Uniplate has been before the Competition Tribunal
In 2019, Uniplate was fined R16 million for a similar yet unrelated matter, as the Competition Tribunal determined the company was exploiting its position as a monopoly.
The commission noted that Uniplate was using long-term exclusive agreements to contractually force its customers who bought its embossing machines to also purchase its number plate blanks.
“The exclusive supply agreements tied up customers for a period of 10 years and prevented the customer from switching to alternative suppliers of number plate blanks,” it said.
“Customers who were tied in these exclusive agreements by Uniplate were similarly unable to access competitor blanks even when competitors’ prices were lower.”
The commission stated at the time that it had received similar complaints about the dealings of NNPR as far back as 2012.
Place Gauteng’s new number plates on hold, demands AfriForum after Commission’s findings on price fixing
AfriForum today addressed a letter to the Gauteng MEC for Roads and Transport, Kedibone Diale-Tlabela, in which the organisation demands that the project to roll out new number plates be halted until the Competition Tribunal of South Africa has completed its prosecution of three number plate manufacturers. This follows the Competition Commission’s announcement last week that a cartel of blank number plate manufacturers had been illegally fixing prices since at least June 2023. The findings have been referred to the Competition Tribunal for prosecution.
AfriForum notes that the Gauteng government cannot expect motorists to purchase new number plates, while the Competition Commission’s findings indicate that number plates are being sold at prices above market value. The Gauteng government has been busy with a pilot project of the new number plates since June last year, which was set to be completed by the end of last year.
According to Louis Boshoff, Campaign Officer at AfriForum, the provincial government was unable to provide any indication when asked what the new number plates would cost and when vehicle owners would have to purchase them.
“On the one hand, the expectation is created that the new number plates will be rolled out at any moment, but on the other hand, we find out that we are paying exorbitant amounts for number plates,” says Boshoff. “If the so-called number plate cartel is already lining their pockets with high profits on the current number plates, then they are probably looking forward to making millions more through the mandatory sale of new plates in Gauteng.”
The Competition Commission stated that the dismantling of this cartel can benefit all vehicle owners and all other parties in the industry. Boshoff emphasises that this is already a major breakthrough.
“If the Commission’s findings are correct, then it means that the provincial government will be playing into the hands of a cartel by continuing with the rollout of new number plates. This is the last thing that they should do,” concludes Boshoff.
DA pressure secures action on number plate price fixing allegations
Issued by Mlondi Mdluli, MP – DA Deputy Spokesperson on Trade, Industry and Competition
21 Mar 2026 in News
The Democratic Alliance (DA) welcomes the decision by the Competition Commission of South Africa to refer its findings of price fixing in the number plate industry to the Competition Tribunal for a final order.
The firms involved, which manufacture blank number plates, are alleged to have set prices and trading conditions in the industry since June 2023. This pushes prices higher for South Africans, as well as undermining competition and stopping new businesses from emerging in the number plate industry. These companies also are alleged to have collaborated to add a R10 surcharge on all number plates sold in KwaZulu-Natal.
This referral is a direct result of sustained DA pressure and oversight. As early as July 2025, the DA formally engaged the Competition Commission to raise serious concerns about alleged anti-competitive behaviour in this sector. At the time, assurances were given that the matter would be concluded by December 2025. This deadline passed, and a further commitment was made for finalisation by the end of February 2026.
Despite these delays, the DA maintained consistent pressure to ensure that this matter did not fall through the cracks. We are therefore encouraged that the Commission has now acted and referred the case to the Tribunal.
This is a clear demonstration that persistent parliamentary oversight yields results, and it represents a tangible win in our ongoing fight to protect consumers, support fair competition, and promote inclusive economic participation.
However, this is not the end of the process.
We will continue to monitor proceedings at the Tribunal closely to ensure that this case is prosecuted with the urgency and seriousness it deserves. Those found guilty must face the full consequences of the law, including appropriate penalties, to deter future collusion and restore integrity in the market.
The DA remains committed to championing a competitive, transparent, and fair economy that works for all South Africans.
LICENSE PLATE ASSOCIATION OF SOUTH AFRICA (LAZA) OFFICIAL PRESS STATEMENT: Date: 20 March 2026 LAZA WELCOMES COMPETITION COMMISSION REFERRAL OF NUMBER PLATE BLANKS CARTEL TO TRIBUNAL:
The License Plate Association of South Africa (LAZA) welcomes the decisive action taken by the Competition Commission of South Africa in referring the alleged number plate blanks cartel case to the Competition Tribunal for prosecution.
This development marks a critical and long-overdue milestone in addressing systemic anti-competitive conduct within the number plate manufacturing sector — conduct which LAZA has consistently raised with regulators, lawmakers, and enforcement authorities over many years.
The referral of Uniplate Group (Pty) Ltd, New Number Plate Requisites (Pty) Ltd, and Unique Number Plate (Pty) Ltd for alleged price-fixing and coordinated trading practices confirms the very concerns repeatedly brought forward by LAZA and its members.
These practices have had a devastating impact on compliant embossers, artificially inflating input costs, restricting fair market participation, and undermining transformation within the industry.
Impact on the Industry
For over a decade, compliant embossers across South Africa have faced:
Artificially inflated pricing structures for blank plates
Restricted access to fair supply channels
Unequal competitive conditions created by coordinated conduct
Financial strain on SABS-compliant businesses, many of whom operate under strict regulatory costs
LAZA believes that the dismantling of this cartel is not only necessary, but essential to restoring market integrity, affordability, and fair competition.
Call for Strong Enforcement
While LAZA welcomes this referral, we emphasize that this must be the beginning — not the end — of enforcement action.
We call for:
Swift adjudication by the Competition Tribunal
Maximum penalties where contraventions are proven
Further investigation into broader industry conduct, including supply chain abuses and misuse of regulatory marks
Immediate regulatory reform aligned with updated SANS 1116 standards
Protecting the Future of the Industry
This case reinforces the urgent need for:
A modernised, secure number plate system
Transparent and competitive manufacturing frameworks
Stronger enforcement at manufacturer level
Alignment with South Africa’s digital transformation and smart enforcement objectives
LAZA remains committed to working with government, regulators, and industry stakeholders to build a fair, compliant, and future-ready number plate ecosystem.
Conclusion
The Commission’s action sends a clear message:
Anti-competitive conduct will not be tolerated.
LAZA stands ready to support all efforts that restore fairness, protect compliant operators, and ensure that the South African number plate industry operates with integrity and accountability.
Issued by:
Jan De Lange
President — License Plate Association of South Africa
Number plate cartel allegedly fleecing people with cars in South Africa
An alleged cartel of companies that manufacture licence plates for vehicles sold across South Africa is being prosecuted for price fixing and exploiting small businesses and drivers nationwide.
“They are alleged to have entered into an agreement and/or engaged in a concerted practice to fix prices and trading conditions for the supply of number plate blanks to, among others, embossers,” it said.
According to the Competition Commission, the three accused companies, namely Uniplate, New Number Plate Requisites (NNPR), and Unique Number Plate, manufacture number plate blanks.
These are the unfinished and unprinted vehicle registration plates that will eventually become vehicle licence plates. They are often made from materials such as aluminium or perspex.
An investigation into the alleged cartel found that from at least June 2023, the companies colluded to fix prices of number plate blanks supplied to customers across South Africa.
If the allegations are true, it means South African drivers have been paying artificially inflated prices for approximately 3 years.
The impact would be even greater for drivers in KwaZulu-Natal, as the commission said that the province was isolated and specifically targeted.
“The companies further agreed to impose a surcharge of R10 on all number plate blanks sold in KwaZulu-Natal,” the commission said.
One of the companies, Uniplate, is considered the largest manufacturer and distributor of number plate blanks and embossing machines in the country.
It allegedly agreed on the amounts and dates for price increases and coordinated when each would issue price-increase letters.
Per the commission, the three companies are now being referred to prosecutors in the Competition Tribunal for the alleged wrongdoings.
If the companies are successfully convicted of contravening section 4(1)(b)(i) of the Competition Act, they will be liable to pay an administrative penalty of up to 10% of their respective turnover.
In 2019, Uniplate was fined R16 million for an unrelated but similar contravention, where it was found by the Competition Tribunal to have been exploiting its status as a monopoly.
At that time, the commission said Uniplate was using long-term exclusive agreements to contractually force its customers who bought its embossing machines to also purchase its number plate blanks.
“The exclusive supply agreements tied up customers for a period of 10 years and prevented the customer from switching to alternative suppliers of number plate blanks,” it said.
“Customers who were tied in these exclusive agreements by Uniplate were similarly unable to access competitor blanks even when competitors’ prices were lower.”
The Commission also said at the time that it had received a similar complaint about the dealings of NNPR in 2012.
Podcast including LAZA and Jan De Lange (Afrikaans)
South African motorists get fines for offences they didn’t commit
There’s no reason for new plates?
Dear Embossers, this is the latest trend, Manufactures supplying mobile units, pls be on the lookout, and report same to us immediately, best regards, Jan and LAZA team
KZN Transport MEC Duma warns against illegal sale of personalised licence plates
South Africa’s richest province goes quiet on new number plates
Laza, at the Pilot Plate launched
In June 2025, the Gauteng Provincial Government announced an all-new number plate system that was meant to be launched at the start of this year, which has since come and gone.
The province’s Premier, Panyaza Lesufi, did briefly touch on the subject during his State of the Province Address (Sopa) earlier this week.
While discussing the annual crime statistics, the premier noted his concern that 21 of the top 30 police stations with the highest reported carjackings are found in Gauteng.
“This confirms why the new number plate system launched by the provincial government must be executed with speed to assist us.”
“We also need technology that will work with law enforcement agencies so that we can stop cars crossing the borders of our province,” he added before moving on from the topic entirely.
The province’s new number plates were said to be high-tech, traceable, tamper-proof, and meant to feature forensic QR codes.
Combined, these factors were developed to combat vehicle theft, fraud, and cloning.
According to Lesufi, fraudulent number plates and undocumented cars are at the centre of crimes committed in Gauteng, especially kidnappings and robberies.
“Criminals use undocumented cars to commit crimes. We are now ready to launch tamper-proof new number plates,” he said during his Sopa address last year.
By the time he’d announced the province was ready to launch, it had already been years in the making.
Initial plans to introduce these smarter number plates were announced in 2023 for launch the same year, but were delayed until April 2024.
This date also passed, and by November 2024, the Gauteng Department of Transport exempted provincial government vehicles from complying with the provisions of the existing number plate policies.
That announcement would allow government vehicles to be fitted with the new plates for a limited pilot phase, which was meant to end in March last year and allow the full roll-out to the public.
Our sister publication MyBroadband contacted the Gauteng Department of Roads and Transport to inquire about the new plates, but has not received a response by the time of publication.
Still no new plates
At the moment, Gauteng’s provincial government vehicles are still fitted with the pilot number plates, while word on the rollout to the public has gone quiet.
This is despite the Premier announcing that the pilot programme would only run for six months before the provincial rollout.
With the delayed pilot still underway, questions surrounding the costs associated with these new number plates remain unanswered.
In August last year, AfriForum asked the department what these new number plates would cost the province’s motorists.
In its response, the department noted that it would only know the full cost by the end of the pilot, whenever that may be.
The department noted that the cost of number plates comes down to manufacturing inputs, base material costs and the cost of new technology.
Additional costs for the smarter plates stem from the embossers who do the imprinting, as well as fees imposed by the South African Bureau of Standards (SABS).
“The pilot process will give a better understanding of the cost implications in relation to the new number plate cost to the end user,” added the department.
During the launch, however, Gauteng MEC for transport Kedibone Diale-Tlabela noted that the benefits of the new number plate system far outweighed the potential cost incurred on motorists.
“This is a great idea, please get your new number plates. Don’t ask me about the price, just go and do it,” she said.
Premier Lesufi said that Gauteng is fighting “fire with fire”, adding that the launch demonstrates a way for the province to win its fight against lawlessness to restore order.