Aarto traffic law, points demerit system rollout delayed yet again
Reports that the Administrative Adjudication of Road Traffic Offences (Aarto) Act is being rolled out nationally are false — the driving licence demerit system is not yet in place.
This is according to the Road Traffic Infringement Agency (RTIA) which said there had been recent fake news and misinformation surrounding Aarto, the government's plan to replace the existing criminal system with an administrative one. With Aarto, drivers will lose points for offences and face suspension or cancellation of their licences if they lose too many, in addition to any fine.
The controversial act, originally passed into law in 1998, has been hit by numerous delays. It was to have commenced in February 2024 but was deferred to a future date which has not been gazetted.
The points demerit system is not operational yet anywhere in the country, including in Johannesburg and Tshwane where Aarto has been piloted for more than a decade, said RTIA spokesperson Monde Mkalipi.
'The points demerit system and rehabilitation programme of traffic infringers are part of phase 3 of the Aarto rollout. Dates for the introduction of the points demerit system are likely to be included in the presidential proclamation which requires to be signed by the president with the date for the commencement of phase 2 and phase 3 of the Aarto national rollout,' he said.
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