South Africa is set to launch a major revision of the arrangement of its traffic laws with the country-wide implementation of the Administrative Adjudication of Road Traffic Offences (AARTO) Act. On 1 September 2026, a new demerit points system will be implemented and will govern everywhere in South Africa in punishing traffic violations.
Why Is The Reform Necessary?
According to some sources in the Department of Transport, human error accounts for over 80% of road crashes in South Africa. The government hopes the AARTO system will inculcate better driver behavior, reduce accidents, and displace the present enforcement mosaic by the individual municipalities with a national uniform one. Punishment is only one-half of the approach, which heavily focuses on behavior to bring about better long-term road safety outcomes.
Phased Approach Before Full Implementation
Implementation into force of the demerit system will not be all at once. Instead, it is hoped that a phased rollout will allow the municipalities, the traffic officials, and the supporting digital systems time to prepare for the coming system. Some dates pertaining to the rollout include:
- 1 December 2025 — Initial implementation in 69 municipalities, including Cape Town, Johannesburg, Durban, Pretoria.
- February 2026 — Expansion to more municipalities.
- April 2026 — Remaining municipalities included.
- 1 September 2026 — Full nationwide activation of the demerit points system.
Mechanics Behind The Demerit Points System
Demerit points may be collected by a driver for committing a traffic offence. The serious the offence, the more points the officer may assign. These points accumulate over a period. When the limit is reached by a driver, the offending driver’s licence might be suspended.
- Learner Driver: Maximum of 6 points before suspension (3 months).
- Fully Licensed Driver: Maximum of 15 points before license suspension (3 months).
If one continues with offences after suspension, a license might be cancelled altogether so that the offender will have to apply again. Conversely, good behavior for a certain period can see reduction in demerit points.
What Motorists Should Know Now
Even before the full system activates, beginning December 2025, motorists will already have to exercise some options in respect of traffic fines, namely:
- Paying fines within 32 days to avail 50% discount on the fine
- Submitting a formal representation to dispute the fine.
- Nominating a different driver in case the vehicle was being used by another person.
- Redirecting the fines to a company (e.g., a car rental company).
- Applying for instalment payments in the case of exorbitant fine amounts.
If one fails to act on fines, consequences could be far graver, such as not being able to renew one’s licence, especially for commercial operators.
Towards Uniform Enforcement
AARTO intends to enforce the law uniformly across all municipalities. The new system will provide for consistent penalty schedules, offences will be electronically recorded in real time, and infringement notices will be issued primarily via electronic means. Reduction in the paper-based processes and corruption is also a goal. Municipalities that already pilot digital enforcement report enhanced processing times and accuracy.
Also Read: SASSA R370 Grant September 2025: Payment Dates & Eligibility Update
