The Constitutional Court ruling on the demerit system for motorists has paved way for it to kick in.
The Road Traffic Infringement Agency (RTIA), however, said this would only happen in a year's time.
Spokesperson Monde Mkalipi said the court challenge was the biggest legal hurdle they faced with regards to the Administrative Adjudication of Road Traffic Offences (Aarto) Act.
"Now we are able to ...roll [it] out; starting with a number of municipalities and proceeding to the next, but now we are also pursuing an option that this legislation is rolled out throughout the country at the same time because the biggest legal hurdle that we faced has been cleared by the ConCourt,” said Mkalipi.
“…the commencement should be around June/July of 2024. But it is important to emphasise that currently we are building capacity, so that when we start in 2024, everything, all our machinery, is in place. Now we are building capacity, training of officers, setting up of outlets as well as public education on the ground.”
Government believes the system will curb road fatalities and clamp down on drivers disobeying the rules of the road.
Amendments made to the Act are in the legislation and include renaming the RTIA into an authority.
Another amendment is that there will be electronic serving of documents, currently they are sent through the mail or in person – when a traffic officer serves you documents at a traffic stop.
The other amendment is the introduction of the point demerit system. Fourthly, the introduction of an appeals tribunal where infringers can appeal if they are not satisfied with the ruling of the RTIA. And lastly, the introduction of a rehabilitation programme.
“The rehabilitation programme is for habitual infringers so that they can be rehabilitated instead of being thrown off the road, because they’ll be more dangerous because they will drive unlicensed and become a big problem. People should be given an opportunity to reskill themselves and come back to the road,” said Mkalipi.
The execution of the rollout of Aarto is a collaborative effort.
“We are working with issuing authorities, so roll-out is going to happen mainly with issuing authorities, as you know traffic infringements happen at a local level and now infringements, not incidences, get to be escalated to us.”
dlomol@sowetan.co.za
‘Government believes the system will curb road fatalities’
Aarto set to kick start by middle of the year in 2024
Image: Gallo Images/Jacques Stander
The Constitutional Court ruling on the demerit system for motorists has paved way for it to kick in.
The Road Traffic Infringement Agency (RTIA), however, said this would only happen in a year's time.
Spokesperson Monde Mkalipi said the court challenge was the biggest legal hurdle they faced with regards to the Administrative Adjudication of Road Traffic Offences (Aarto) Act.
"Now we are able to ...roll [it] out; starting with a number of municipalities and proceeding to the next, but now we are also pursuing an option that this legislation is rolled out throughout the country at the same time because the biggest legal hurdle that we faced has been cleared by the ConCourt,” said Mkalipi.
“…the commencement should be around June/July of 2024. But it is important to emphasise that currently we are building capacity, so that when we start in 2024, everything, all our machinery, is in place. Now we are building capacity, training of officers, setting up of outlets as well as public education on the ground.”
Government believes the system will curb road fatalities and clamp down on drivers disobeying the rules of the road.
Amendments made to the Act are in the legislation and include renaming the RTIA into an authority.
Another amendment is that there will be electronic serving of documents, currently they are sent through the mail or in person – when a traffic officer serves you documents at a traffic stop.
The other amendment is the introduction of the point demerit system. Fourthly, the introduction of an appeals tribunal where infringers can appeal if they are not satisfied with the ruling of the RTIA. And lastly, the introduction of a rehabilitation programme.
“The rehabilitation programme is for habitual infringers so that they can be rehabilitated instead of being thrown off the road, because they’ll be more dangerous because they will drive unlicensed and become a big problem. People should be given an opportunity to reskill themselves and come back to the road,” said Mkalipi.
The execution of the rollout of Aarto is a collaborative effort.
“We are working with issuing authorities, so roll-out is going to happen mainly with issuing authorities, as you know traffic infringements happen at a local level and now infringements, not incidences, get to be escalated to us.”
dlomol@sowetan.co.za
New Aarto fines to be implemented 'in the coming days', says transport minister Chikunga
ConCourt rules Aarto Act is valid and not unconstitutional
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