Is South Africa ready for AARTO roll out?

After years of delays, false starts and fake news, many South Africans may have pushed the idea of the Administrative Adjudication of Road Traffic Offences (AARTO) Act aside.

During Deputy Minister of Transport Mkhuleko Hlengwa’s 2 July budget speech, another AARTO implementation date was set – 1 October 2025.
Phase two is set to be implemented in 69 municipalities in October, with phase three to begin in February 2026.

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“Research and examples from across the world demonstrate that demerit point systems have the potential to significantly reduce road fatality statistics. When properly implemented, AARTO could serve as a crucial tool in changing driver behaviour and creating a culture of accountability on South African roads,” said MasterDrive CEO Eugene Herbert.

“Should plans for this implementation date remain on track, we remain optimistic that the latest iteration of the Act will finally bring the focus to where it belongs – road safety.”

Corporate fleet readiness

As a large percentage of vehicles on the roads are company-owned, the business sector faces significant challenges in preparing for AARTO implementation.

Driver management systems, training programmes and administrative processes should start being put in place to prepare for the nuances that are to come from AARTO, if they haven’t been planned for already.

Are South African businesses ready for this should the implementation finally happen in October?

Of course, there are concerns about corruption affecting AARTO, as it has affected current traffic legislation, and the law’s integrity has come into question. The possibilty of this happening is something else businesses should prepare to deal with should they encounter it.

“Rather than protesting AARTO by refusing to prepare due to corruption concerns, there should be well-established mechanisms from day one to manage this. A lack of preparation is not an effective way to protest, but will further reduce your ability to adapt should the implementation date remain on track,” said Herbert.

While the October 2025 date may represent another milestone in AARTO’s complicated journey, the real test will be in the execution, including each organisation’s preparedness.

“As we approach this new implementation date, it’s crucial that all organisations are ready to play their role in helping AARTO achieve its primary objective: safer roads for all.”

*Since the budget speech on 2 July, Road Traffic Infringement Agency (RTIA) spokesperson Monde Mkalipi has outlined AARTO’s timeline, giving 1 December 2025 as the date for the Act’s implementation in most major metros, followed by a gradual further roll out into remaining municipalities from February next year, with the demerit system said to come into effect from September 2026.

This conflict in expected start dates could point towards further delay or misinformation and the public should wait for clarification from Department of Transport officials.

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