Tanzania traffic police crack down on 3D number plates as deadline expires

Dar es Salaam. Tanzanian traffic police have begun cracking down on drivers with vehicles holding 3D registration number plates, as the deadline for removing the numbers expired on Friday, March 15, 2024.

The law enforcers issued a two-week grace period for the voluntary removal of the number plates, which the police said are illegal.

Tanzanian vehicle registration numbers are traditionally displayed on a 2D plate, but recently, vehicle owners have shown a preference for 3D number plates, which have become popular.

The Head of the Traffic Police Unit, Mr Ramadhani Nga'nzi, said the deadline for voluntary removal had closed, announcing a multi-pronged enforcement approach.

"Starting today," he declared, "we will begin a crackdown that will target both manufacturers of the number plates and those who continue to defy the order. They will also face a fine of Sh30,000 for the offence," he said.

The ban on the plates stems from concerns about their legitimacy and security.

"The 3D plates are not authorised by the registrar of motor vehicles, and agents are not allowed to issue them. They do not meet the required quality standards," Mr Nga'nzi explained, emphasising that authorised plates are in the standard 2D format.

Last week, Deputy Minister for Home Affairs, Mr Jumanne Sagini, pointed out that 3D plates are manufactured by agents who are not authorised by the Tanzania Bureau of Standards (TBS), adding that the size of the letters makes it difficult to read them from a distance of at least 100 metres.

The crackdown has drawn mixed reactions. While some drivers appreciate the enforcement effort, others have expressed frustration with the timeframe. "I just returned from upcountry yesterday and was getting out of home today to face such a crackdown," lamented one anonymous driver in Dar es Salaam. He said he could not understand the rush.

Similar sentiments were shared by a ride-hailing driver, Mr Fadhil Mohamed, who received a fine. He was of the view that the police could have offered two to three months for drivers to comply. "This is just unfair," he argued. "Some of us are given a car with these plates but yet we are fined. We should have been given an additional month or two," he said.