The implementation of South Africa’s Administrative Adjudication of Road Traffic Offences (AARTO) Act has been postponed once again, with the expanded rollout now delayed until July 2026, Transport Minister Barbara Creecy announced this afternoon.
The controversial demerit point system, which has faced years of implementation delays, was originally scheduled to begin its phased rollout in 69 municipalities this December, with the points deduction system expected to be fully operational by December 2026.
Under the revised timeline, the process will now commence on 1 July 2026, marking yet another setback for the long-awaited traffic law enforcement overhaul that could see drivers losing their licences for accumulating too many infringement points.
In a statement, the minister cited an assessment of municipal readiness as the primary reason for the delay, revealing significant shortcomings in the preparation for the system’s launch.
“The postponement comes amid an assessment by the department of the state of readiness in some of the municipalities that were to form part of the first implementation phase,” the statement read.
Key issues identified include incomplete training of both law enforcement officers and back-office personnel, as well as the need to harmonise current law enforcement systems used by various municipalities and secure adequate funding.
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Once implemented, the AARTO demerit system will impose a strict point-based penalty structure on South African motorists. Drivers who accumulate 15 points will face licence suspension for three months for each point exceeding this threshold.
The system includes a redemption mechanism, with points falling away at a rate of one point for every three months of “well-behaved” driving. However, two suspensions will result in complete licence cancellation.
The latest postponement continues a pattern of delays that has plagued the AARTO implementation for years. Industry experts had already expressed doubts about the government’s readiness for the December rollout, pointing to ongoing challenges with training and regulatory frameworks.
Despite efforts to prepare for implementation, significant gaps remain. While more than 80% of traffic officers had completed “refresher” training courses by early October, the crucial final regulations governing the system were only expected to be published in late October.
These regulations are essential as they will dictate the processes, infringements, and point allocations under the demerit system.
The transport department has committed to publishing new proclamation dates with a staggered implementation schedule, maintaining the phased approach originally envisaged for the system.
The department stated it will continue working with municipalities to address the identified readiness issues before the July 2026 launch date.
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