A high-level meeting on April 12 with representatives of the SABS will determine the detail of new changes to the official vehicle registration plates in the Limpopo Province.

Confusion about the status of the new letter "L" number plates in the province was partially cleared up this week by Mr Obed Langa, spokesperson for the office of the MEC for the Department of Roads and Transport, after repeated efforts to get clarification from the Departmental Directorate of Communications, proved fruitless.

Mr Langa said on enquiry that, regardless of the proposed additional changes to the number plate, all the existing L-plates are perfectly legal and do not need replacement. When the additional changes are finalised, these will be phased in with all new registration applications.

The additional changes to the provincial registration plates include a new provincial coat of arms and a "security feature".

Tempers flared and confusion reigned when the public received the first information about yet another change to the provincial number plates. Rumours spread that even all the existing new L-plates, issued since last year, will have to be replaced because they will be outdated by the new additions. Efforts to get clarity on the matter bogged down in the totally unprofessional quackmire of incompetence still reigning in the departmental Directorate of Communications.

The chaos that erupted last year with the haphazard introduction of the letter L (for Limpopo) in place of the letter N (for Northern Province) after the provincial name change was officially never fully resolved.

Initially, the prescribed material for the new number plates was not readily available, resulting in number plates with numbers ending on an L but still bearing the Northern Province name at the bottom. Some over-eager traffic officials were adamant that such number plates were unlawful and owners should be punished, while others argued that the name at the bottom was totally irrelevant for law enforcement.

A senior official in the department at the time promised that a full clarification would be contained in an official media release, already in preparation by his communications directorate. Despite repeated enquiries at that directorate during May last year, the promised release never materialised. The said senior official plus some others were in the meantime apparently removed from the department.

Last week, almost a year later, it once again took several enquiries over two working days to receive a media statement which reads: "The Limpopo Department of Roads and Transport notes seriously the discontent and confusion about the new letter "L" number plates, and would like to clarify the matter as such: The number plate has been sanctioned by the provincial government through approval and rectification of the said government thereof (sic).

"The missing link in the number plate is the endorsement of the security feature and the insertion of the new provincial logo. At the time of the sanctioning of the number plate, the new provincial logo was not approved by the legislature, hence the usage of the old provincial logo on the number plate.

"Members of the public are encouraged to continue to get their new registration number plate, because automatically when one applies for a new vehicle license, the letter "L" registration will apply.

"The Department of Roads and Transport remains committed to uphold the provincial corporate identity and quality of service to people. In doing so, we encourage members of the public who need clarification of this issue of the number plate to consult the Provincial Department of Roads and Transport at the following details: Mr. Allen Matsila at 015 295 1237, Road Traffic and Safety, or the Senior Manager Communications, Ms. Thulamsindo Rapotu at 015 295 1139."