Questions linger over AARTO launch
The department of Transport intends to implement the new demerit system 01 July as measure set to curb drivers who constantly break the rules.
The Road Traffic Infringement Agency is confident that the new Aarto demerit system will “hit the ground running” come July 1.
This despite the issue that the date on which the new act was set to be implemented had yet to be gazetted, according to Road Traffic Infringement Agency (RTIA) spokesperson Monde Mkalipi.
The national roll-out of the Administrative Adjudication of Road Traffic Offences (AARTO) amended act is designed to curb road fatalities was in place.
However, it is still subject to other finalisation proceedings such as the gazetting of the date.
Under the new system, drivers constantly disobeying the rules of the road run the risk of losing their licence.
“There are no changes concerning the proposed date for the AARTO national roll-out. However, the gazette will be based on the signing of the proclamation notice by the president,” Mkalipi said, adding that the RTIA was ready.
“All our stakeholders are on board and support the national roll-out.”
Regarding the legal challenge against the system set up by the Organisation Undoing Tax Abuse (OUTA), Mkalipi said the department was not worried about it.
“We are not worried about the case because we believe that the allegations advanced therein are based on the misinterpretation of the law.”
OUTA headed to court to challenge the constitutionality of the system.
Furthermore, the organisation indicated that it might challenge the implementation of the system once the date was gazetted.
Mkalipi said the system would include the introduction of the electronic service to expedite the serving of AARTO documents to the infringers.
“There will be an AARTO appeals tribunal to ensure that infringers can still challenge the outcomes of the RTIA adjudication process.”
The demerit points for an offence ranges from one to six, depending on the nature of the offence and the threshold of demerit points that may be incurred without consequence is 15 points.
If the threshold is exceeded, one’s driving licence card or operating permit will be suspended for three months for each demerit point by which the threshold is exceeded.
Driving or operating a vehicle during the prohibition period would be a criminal offence, subject to a fine or imprisonment and a further six demerit points on conviction.
Once a driving licence card has been suspended twice, exceeding the threshold will result in it being cancelled. This means the person will have to start from scratch, with a learner’s licence if they wished to drive again after the lapse of the prohibition period.
Do you have more information about the story?
Please send us an email to editorial@rekord.co.za or phone us on 083 625 4114.
For free breaking and community news, visit Rekord’s websites: Rekord East
For more news and interesting articles, like Rekord on Facebook, follow us on Twitter or Instagram
