Clampdown on cloned vehicles a success in KZN

by Mluleki Mntungwa

The KwaZulu-Natal department of transport’s Motor Transport Services Directorate (MTS) is notching up a victory in combating the cloning of motor vehicles, a problem that is being experienced countrywide.

To date, the department has uncovered 849 cases of cloned vehicles which have been registered with the MTS. While, 263 cases have been dealt with, the department, in conjunction with the SAPS is currently investigating 586 cases.

With the establishment of the Record Verification Section (RVS), the department will finalize all outstanding cases in the next few months.

The perpetrators’ modus operandi is to still records of registration and deregistration certificates from the National Traffic Information System (NTIS) in various registering authorities and use them to register and licence stolen motor vehicles.

They often use false documentation such as false identity documents, which are then used to register and licence the stolen vehicles on to the buyer’s names. Unsuspecting vehicle owners become aware of this only when they attempt to renew their annual licences.

At this point, the buyer of the stolen vehicle has no idea that he has bought a "stolen" vehicle until the investigation is initiated, after the original owner of the vehicle contacts the MTS.

However, stringent control measures implemented by the MTS for all applications received for duplicate registration and deregistration certificates. The control measures also include the physical inspection by the SAPS of all cloned vehicles have resulted in a dramatic drop in the number of new cases.

The successful collaboration between the Transport Department and SAPS further confirms the apparent wisdom in merging safety and security with transport under Mr Bheki Cele who heads both transport as well as safety and security.

back