The Transport Department has announced October as the new date for the national rollout of the Administrative Adjudication of Road Traffic Offences (AARTO) system in 69 municipalities.

This was announced by Transport Deputy Minister Mkhuleko Hlengwa during the department’s budget vote debate in Parliament earlier this week, when he said 69 municipalities will be ready to implement AARTO, and 144 were not yet ready.

“The AARTO will be rolled out in different phases according to municipal readiness from October 1, 2025, for the 69 municipalities, which are ready for the rollout,” Hlengwa said.

“This is Phase 2 of the AARTO rollout programme, while Phase 3 will be rolled out on February 1, 2026, for the 144 municipalities that will only be ready then,” he said.

The AARTO Act was confirmed as constitutional by the apex court, and the department intends to use it to change the behaviour of motorists.

Hlengwa said research has shown that more than 80% of road crashes were due to human error, and that was why there was a call for behaviour-changing efforts on their part.

“To ensure positive changes in road user behaviour, the department will roll out the Administration and Adjudication of Road Traffic Offences (AARTO) Act, central to which is the demerit system that systematically aims at containing road user behaviour,” he said.

The new date for the national roll out of AARTO comes a month after a fake report suggested the imminent roll out of the demerit system that will see motorists lose points for offences and stand to have their driving licence suspended or cancelled should they lose many.

In June, the Road Traffic Infringement Agency (RTIA) dismissed any claims suggesting an imminent wider national rollout as incorrect.

However, RTIA confirmed that AARTO was currently operational only in Johannesburg and Tshwane.

The agency said it was working with the Department of Transport on a draft proclamation of the AARTO Amendment Act.

While the draft AARTO regulations have been developed, a selection process towards the appointment of members of the public to serve in the AARTO Appeals Tribunal was at an advanced stage.

RTIA also stated that service outlets have been created across the country, and education and community awareness have been ongoing in all nine provinces and on all digital platforms.

“AARTO connectivity of issuing authorities to the e-Natis is under way. Training of the more than 25,000 traffic officers across the country is under way. Preparations to implement the Points Demerit System and the AARTO rehabilitation programme as part of Phase 3 are under way.”

According to RTIA, strengthening laws for road traffic compliance was paramount, and the AARTO Act was a vital tool in achieving this.

“Its effective implementation will play a critical role in enforcing these laws and ultimately making our roads safer for all road users.”

Meanwhile, the department is moving closer to implementing the 24-hour campaign of visible traffic law enforcement.

Hlengwa reiterated the department’s commitment to accelerating the implementation of a 24-hour campaign of visible traffic law enforcement across all three spheres of government, aiming to change road user behaviour towards greater compliance with road rules.

He said the visibility of law enforcement has proven to be a major contributor to recent achievements in the reduction of road deaths.

“We have thus worked to speed up the resolution of most issues that have delayed the implementation of a 24-hour, seven-day a week and 365 days a year campaign of visible traffic law enforcement,” he said.

“While the country waits for all remaining provinces to finalise their processes and implement a 24-hour shift traffic law enforcement system, the National Traffic Police (NTP) will continue to be deployed to provide support to provinces and ensure greater traffic law enforcement operations across South Africa.”

Hlengwa also said the department was reviewing the National Road Safety Strategy that will be submitted to the Cabinet by the end of this financial year.

“The revised strategy will inform engineering interventions, such as the development and promotion of safer road infrastructure designs, safer vehicle technologies, and continuous improvements in traffic management systems. The overall reviewed strategy will include the implementation of stricter traffic laws, vigorous law enforcement operations, and comprehensive road safety education campaigns.”

He also said their approach was to improve harmonisation of operations between the three spheres of government through joint planning, inter-agency collaboration, consistency, and shared resources and services throughout the year.

“This will be supported by visible policing through force multiplication and smart deployments on critical routes, focusing on top traffic offences and violations, while intensifying partnerships and collaboration with civil society and media influencers.”

mayibongwe.maqhina@inl.co.za

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