AARTO Delay: South Africa’s Traffic Law Overhaul Hits Another Red Light

AARTO rollout hits another red light, here’s why South Africa must wait again

South African motorists will have to wait a little longer again for the long-promised Aarto traffic demerit system. Just three weeks before its national launch, the Department of Transport (DoT) announced that the rollout would be postponed, pushing the new date to 1 July 2026.

The delay marks the third time in five years that the Administrative Adjudication of Road Traffic Offences (Aarto) system has been put on hold. Initially planned to kick in on 1 December 2025 across 69 municipalities, the department’s latest assessment concluded that many regions were simply not ready.

Why AARTO was delayed  again

Transport Minister Barbara Creecy and Deputy Minister Mkhuleko Hlengwa revealed that their teams found several municipalities struggling to meet the basic requirements for the first phase of implementation.

According to the department, training for officers and administrative staff remains incomplete in some areas, and funding for the system’s transition from current traffic fine procedures is still unresolved.

In short, South Africa’s roads might be ready for tougher traffic enforcement, but the municipalities aren’t.

The DoT said it will continue with a phased rollout, with further dates to be announced once municipalities meet readiness standards.

Public reaction: frustration and fatigue

The latest delay has reignited frustration among motorists and watchdogs alike. Many South Africans, especially those active on social media, expressed little surprise, describing the news as “predictable” and “business as usual.”

Some motorists pointed out that even if Aarto were implemented tomorrow, poor enforcement and corruption at local traffic departments could still undermine its impact. Others questioned whether the government had learned from the failed pilot phases in Johannesburg and Tshwane.

Outa: ‘This delay was inevitable’

The Organisation Undoing Tax Abuse (Outa), which has long challenged the system’s design, welcomed the delay, calling it inevitable.

Outa CEO Wayne Duvenage didn’t mince words:

“Aarto was never ready, not in 2020, not in 2024, and certainly not now.”

He argued that if government is truly serious about road safety, it should go back to the drawing board and rebuild Aarto from scratch, this time ensuring it’s transparent, practical, and trusted by the public.

Outa has repeatedly raised red flags about the law’s unclear regulations, rushed amendments, and vague handling of the demerit point system, which was meant to penalize repeat offenders in later phases.

“We support any system that encourages motorists to obey the law,” Duvenage added, “but Aarto, as it stands, fails the test of being clear, fair, and functional.”

A law in limbo and what it means for drivers

For everyday South Africans, the delay means the current system of traffic fines remains in place at least for another eight months. The much-talked-about demerit points, which would eventually lead to license suspensions for habitual offenders, are still on hold.

Critics say the government’s repeated delays have turned what could have been a game-changer for road safety into a drawn-out administrative saga. Yet, optimists hope this pause could finally give authorities time to get it right and build a fairer, tech-driven system that genuinely reduces accidents.

Until then, motorists can only watch the road and the rollout with cautious patience.

{Source: The Citizen}

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