BLOEMFONTEIN – The new Administrative Adjudication of Road Traffic Offences (AARTO) came into effect on 1 July in 62 municipalities, including the Mangaung Metro, Ekurhuleni, Durban, Nelson Mandela Bay and Buffalo City.
This comes after years of delays. The drive to save lives are now starting to roll out throughout South Africa.
Under AARTO, traffic fines follow a strict, automated timeline. If you ignore a notice, the consequences are financial and administrative – not criminal.
The demerit point system is designed to prevent repeat traffic offences and also to encourage better driving habits. The demerit system is administered by the RTIA (Road Traffic Infringement Agency) and serves as a permanent driving record for motorists.
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Under the new system, traffic violation fines are valued at R100, with total costs calculated by multiplying this base value against the penalty points assigned to specific offences. Motorists who pay within 32 days receive a 50% discount on the fine amount.
Failure to pay after 32 days results in a courtesy letter being issued, which adds a R100 fee and removes the discount. If payment is still not made within another 32 days, an enforcement notice is issued with an additional R100 fee.
Once an enforcement order is issued, motorists are blocked from renewing vehicle licence discs, driver’s licences and registering new vehicles until the outstanding fine is resolved.
Whilst the administrative infringement process is now active, the controversial demerit points system has been excluded from the current rollout. The demerit system, which would see drivers losing points on their licences for various violations, is earmarked for a later phase, with potential implementation expected in 2027.
RTIA has issued warnings to motorists about fraudulent traffic fine communications. Criminals often send fake infringement notifications via email or SMS demanding urgent payment. Motorists are advised to verify any notices they receive through the official AARTO website at aarto.gov.za before making any payments.
