AARTO delay: a chance for South Africans motorists to settle fines
Berry Berman, CEO of Fines SA shares that they welcome the announcement made by the Department of Transport, noting that this will give motorists enough time to settle their outstanding fees.
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South Africa’s leading online traffic fines management platforms, Fines SA has welcomed the decision made by the Department of Transport to halt the implementation of the Administrative Adjudication of Road Traffic Offense (AARTO), noting that this gives the motorist with outstanding fines enough time to get their things in order and settle on time.
AARTO will link unpaid fines to motorists or businesses vehicle and registration numbers, making it impossible to renew or register until all fines are paid. This could lead to operational disruptions for businesses and administrative problems once the system is in full effect.
The original date of the implementation of AARTO was set to be this December, however the Department of Transport made a new rollout date that is set to be next year 1 July 2026. This is for the drivers to familiarise themselves with the new demerit system before penalties take effect.
Barry Berman, CEO of Fines SA, views the decision of AARTO extension as a step in the right direction for drivers to sort out their issues.
“We view this as a positive step, the postponement gives the South Africans the chance to get their affairs in order. We’ve already seen a number of significant influx of motorists registering and clearing old fines in anticipation of AARTO.
This delay provides the perfect window for those who haven’t yet acted to avoid future complications,” said Berman.
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