
Many Paarl cars still use the CJ prefix. This photograph of an Austin car was taken on Paarl Mountain in the 1930s (C Rossouw, Gribble Collection)
Some trivial information, but a great guessing game for car lovers. Who can still match these number plates to towns in the Cape Province. Some prefixes are still recognisable, while others have since changed. The list is an extract for an article printed in the Paarl Post on 17 February 1923.
Cape Town (C.A.), Aliwal North (C.AE.), Venterstad (C.ACo.), Beaufort West (C.AI.), Bredasdorp (C.AK.), De Aar (C.ALo.), Caledon (C.AM.), Calvinia (C.AN.), Carnarvon (C.AO.), Ceres (C.AQ.), Clanwilliam (C.AR.), Fraserburg (C.AV.), Williston (C.AVo.), George (C.AW.), Graaff Reinet (C.AZ.), Port Elizabeth (C.B.), Hope Town (C.BE.), Laingsburg (C.BM.), Montagu (C.BR.), Namaqualand (C.BU.), Petrusville (C.BXo.), Sutherland (C.CJ.), Swellendam (C.CK.), Victoria West (C.CR.), Tulbagh (C.CM.), Worcester (C.I.) and Paarl (C.J).
For more about car licence plates, have a look at the following Wikipedia article.