The Administrative Adjudication of Road Traffic Offences (AARTO) system will be rolled out to dozens of additional municipalities across South Africa from today (July 1), following the publication of two government proclamations.

Phase 2 rollout begins

Proclamations 322 and 323 of 2026, published in the Government Gazette on June 29, provide for the implementation of Phase 2 of the AARTO Act of 1998 and the AARTO Amendment Act of 2019.

The rollout will see the original AARTO Act implemented in 60 municipalities across the country, while the amended legislation will apply in 62 municipalities. The City of Johannesburg and the City of Tshwane, which already operate under the AARTO system, will now also implement the amendments.

Northern KwaZulu-Natal municipalities included

In northern KwaZulu-Natal, the municipalities included in the latest rollout are Newcastle, Ulundi, Jozini and Mtubatuba. Other KwaZulu-Natal municipalities on the list include eThekwini, Msunduzi, KwaDukuza, Alfred Duma, the City of uMhlathuze and Ray Nkonyeni.

AbaQulusi remains outside the system

Notably, AbaQulusi Local Municipality is not included in this phase, meaning motorists in the Vryheid area will continue to fall outside the AARTO system for now.

Nationwide implementation planned

According to the Department of Transport, a further rollout is planned for 2027, when AARTO is expected to be implemented nationwide. This phase will also introduce the Points Demerit System, under which motorists who repeatedly break traffic laws can accumulate demerit points that may lead to the suspension or cancellation of their driving licences.

AARTO is intended to improve road safety by creating a standardised system for dealing with traffic infringements, encouraging compliance with road traffic laws and promoting responsible driving.

Motorists travelling through municipalities where AARTO is in force are encouraged to familiarise themselves with the system and ensure they comply with all traffic regulations.

The news provided to you in this link comes to you from the editorial staff of the Vryheid Herald, a sold newspaper distributed in the Vryheid area.