Middelburg and Nelspruit are part of AARTO from July 1. But what is AARTO?
AARTO replaces traditional criminal court processes with an administrative one, offering a 50% discount on fines paid within 32 days.

The Demerit System:

The driver’s licence points demerit system is slated for a future phase expected in 2027.
AARTO penalises drivers by issuing fines and a demerit points system, which can lead to the suspension or cancellation of a driver’s licence.
Every driver starts with no points. Each traffic offence or infringement carries a specific number of points (ranging from one to six).

Thresholds:

Fully licensed drivers can accumulate up to 15 points. Learner drivers are limited to six points.

Suspension:

If you exceed these limits, your licence is suspended for three months for every point that exceeds the maximum limit.

Reduction:

Points are reduced at a rate of one point every three months if you do not commit any new offences during that period.

The 3-Stage Fine Process:

When you commit an infringement, AARTO moves through three distinct phases: Infringement Notice: You are issued a fine. If you pay it within 32 days, you receive a 50% discount.

Courtesy Letter:

If you do not pay within 32 days, a courtesy letter is issued. The 50% discount is cancelled, and a penalty fee (e.g., R60) is added.

Enforcement Order:

If you still fail to act within 32 days, an enforcement order is issued. Further fees are added, and you will be blocked on the eNATIS system. You will not be able to renew your driver’s licence, professional driving permit (PrDP), or vehicle license disc.

Instead of just paying, you can also: Nominate the Driver: If you were not driving the vehicle at the time of the offence, you must nominate the actual driver within 32 days so the fine and points go to them.

Make a Representation:

If you believe you were wrongly fined, you can dispute it with a RTIA Representations Officer.

Elect to Go to Court:

If your representation is rejected, or if you simply prefer to dispute the matter before a magistrate, you can elect to be tried in court.

Under the new system, each penalty unit is valued at R100, and total fines are calculated by multiplying the assigned penalty units by this base value.

Traffic infringements can be served electronically via the AARTO website, confirmed digital addresses, or regular mail, while sensitive notices must be sent via registered mail.

Once an unpaid fine reaches the Enforcement Order Phase (Form AARTO 13), the infringer will be blocked from renewing vehicle or driving licences or registering new vehicles until the order is resolved.

Fleet operators and private owners have 32 days to nominate the actual driver responsible for an offence.
Licences can only be suspended twice; after a third infraction, the licence is permanently cancelled, requiring a complete restart of the testing process.