Credit to the License Plate Association of South Africa (LAZA) for lodging the complaint.
"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 โ 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 โ not the end โ 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 Africaโs 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 Commissionโs 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 โ License Plate Association of South Africa"
The Competition Commission has referred three number plate blank manufacturers to the
@comptrib for prosecution. The firms allegedly coordinated on pricing, surcharges and the timing of priceโincrease letters. Read more details on our website:
compcom.co.za/wp-content/uplโฆ