While the national rollout of the Administrative Adjudication of Road Traffic Offences (AARTO) system is in question, experts warn that speeding fines won’t just disappear.
On the contrary, unpaid traffic fines will become increasingly difficult to ignore for South African drivers, largely due to advances in enforcement technology outside AARTO.
The nationwide rollout of AARTO, initially scheduled for December 2025, has been postponed by the Department of Transport to 1 July 2026.
However, the new date has now also been thrown into question following media reports that the Road Traffic Infringement Agency (RTIA) would have to outsource the project to the private sector.
Despite the uncertainty around the new system, traffic fine platform Fines SA warned that many provincial and national authorities are continuing to develop their systems outside AARTO.
This means that any drivers who think their traffic offences will be lost or forgotten amid the confusion should think again.
The group noted that police officers are already able to verify a driver’s full compliance history in real time through national and municipal systems, which are connected.
And with the growing use of speed cameras, average-speed monitoring systems, and digitally integrated enforcement platforms, traffic offences are now detected, recorded, and tracked with far greater accuracy than in the past, it said.
Fines SA CEO Barry Berman said that typical roadblocks have also evolved, and that drivers should remember that officers are allowed to ask to see important documents such as those commonly requested—valid driver’s licences, and vehicle licence discs.
“It’s no longer just about what an officer can see. Digital systems now allow law enforcement to instantly check for unpaid fines, expired licences, and missing documentation. If there’s an issue, it’s flagged immediately,” said Berman.
Berman urged drivers to learn and understand their rights and responsibilities at a roadblock.
“Compliance isn’t about arguing your case on the side of the road. It’s about being informed, organised, and in control of your driving record long before you’re stopped,” he said.
However, the traffic platform acknowledged the widespread issue of late notifications, which causes drivers to receive information about fines only after the early settlement periods have expired.
New system, new rules
The AARTO Act will “decriminalise” most traffic violations and subject them to different administrative processes.
While this appears more positive for drivers, the administrative changes place the onus on drivers to comply with the new rules.
The laws bring a three-step process in issuing fines:
- Infringement notice: Offenders will be hit with an infringement notice and notified either physically or electronically. They will have 32 days to pay the fine at a 50% discount.
- Courtesy letter: If the deadline is missed, the discount falls away, and an administrative penalty is added. Offenders will have 32 days to pay the full amount.
- Enforcement notice: If the second deadline is missed, another administrative penalty is added, and demerit points (when the system is operational) will be applied.
Once an enforcement notice is active, motorists will be prohibited from obtaining any NaTIS documents, including driving licences, professional driving permits or vehicle licence discs.
The outdated excuses of “not receiving the notices” are becoming less viable, as each notice can now be issued electronically through various digital channels. Consequently, it is now the responsibility of offenders to prove their case.
Fines SA said that in major metropolitan areas, such as the City of Cape Town, unpaid fines can quickly escalate to summonses and legal action.
This not only increases the original fines but also adds legal costs, administrative responsibilities, and the risk of additional penalties.
“Once a summons is issued, the opportunity to resolve the matter simply and affordably is usually gone. What could have been a discounted fine becomes a far more time-consuming problem,” said Berman.
Fines SA encourages drivers to stay informed about their outstanding fines, to stay organised, and to take action before enforcement technology catches up with them, which they warn is becoming increasingly likely.
