A year after its launch, the online motor vehicle registration and Notice of Change of Ownership (NCO) initiative, developed by WeBuyCars and the Road Traffic Management Corporation (RTMC), has reached significant milestones.
Launched on August 22, 2023, this system is revolutionising vehicle registration and ownership transfers across South Africa.
Following extensive testing from September to December 2023, WeBuyCars began a strategic roll-out in January 2024, supported by a comprehensive change management plan tailored to both public and private sectors.
The new system grants approved entities, such as dealerships, financial institutions, and insurers, direct access to the National Traffic Information System (NaTIS). This online platform facilitates bulk vehicle registrations and ownership transfers, reducing turnaround times and enhancing service delivery.
Sean Sevell, Head of Admin and Risk at WeBuyCars, praised the initiative’s success: “Our partnership with the RTMC has been crucial in achieving these milestones. Since testing in September 2023 and the system’s full implementation in January 2024, we’ve seen significant growth. Vehicle registrations jumped from 163 in January to 7,051 by August, and NCO releases grew from 245 to 10,418 in the same period. This system has drastically improved efficiency and reduced customer complaints about registration delays.”
The system allows users to complete vehicle registrations and title releases online, eliminating the need for in-person visits to licensing centres. It also introduced the RC2 registration document, streamlining the final registration process at walk-in centres after the online NCO release.
This initiative marks a major step forward in South Africa’s road traffic management technology, building on previous advancements in NaTIS and enhancing both service delivery and fraud prevention.
Simon Zwane, spokesperson for RTMC said, “The partnership between WeBuyCars and RTMC represents a notable breakthrough in vehicle registration and change of ownership processes. The RTMC is appreciative of WeBuyCars for their willingness to be pioneers in this initiative, which has enabled us to develop a robust system. The insights gained from this collaboration has created confidence in the system, and has facilitated the adoption of the system by others in the automotive and financial industries.”
RTMC and WeBuyCars continue to work together to leverage technology and innovation to advance road traffic management. The successful implementation and expansion of the online vehicle registration and NCO system underscore the positive impact of public-private partnerships in driving efficiencies and enhancing customer experiences in South Africa’s vehicle registration processes.
“The new system has witnessed a significant reduction in customer complaints regarding delays with vehicle registrations. Such delays are inherent to traditional walk-in registering authorities and licensing service centres due to the sheer volumes of vehicle registrations and other services that they must process daily,” says Sevell.
WeBuyCars will continue to utilise this system to further enhance its ability to comply with road traffic legislation and provide clients with their registration documents in a timely manner.
