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<\/a><\/p>\nAS THE\u00a0Administrative Adjudication of Road Traffic Offences(AARTO)\u00a0Phase 2 rolls out across 62 municipalities in KwaZulu-Natal, motorists are urged to understand the new traffic fine process to avoid penalties and ensure road safety.<\/p>\n
Phase 2 of the national rollout came into effect on July 1, but it officially launched at the\u00a0Mariannhill Toll Plaza\u00a0on Tuesday morning.<\/p>\n
Officials handed the first notice in KwaZulu-NataTl to a motorist who had two outstanding speeding fines totaling R2,000. He had to pay the penalty immediately. The digital gadgets link to the Natis System and can detect offences a motorist committed anywhere in South Africa. Between 8am and 9am, 356 vehicles were stopped, three Aarto charges were issued, and 54 speeding fines totalling R23,300 were paid.<\/p>\n
The second phase introduces a uniform administrative system for issuing, managing and enforcing traffic infringements in 60 newly proclaimed municipalities.<\/p>\n
AARTO is already operational in Johannesburg and Tshwane.<\/p>\n
In KwaZulu-Natal, the municipalities now operating under the AARTO framework are eThekwini Metropolitan Municipality (Durban), Msunduzi (Pietermaritzburg), KwaDukuza, Alfred Duma (Ladysmith), uMhlathuze (Richards Bay and Empangeni), Ray Nkonyeni (Port Shepstone), Newcastle, Ulundi, Jozini and Mtubatuba.<\/p>\n
The Department of Transport said the phased implementation was designed to improve road safety and ensure municipalities were adequately prepared before the demerit points system was introduced in a later phase.<\/p>\n
While many motorists associate AARTO with demerit points, the Road Traffic Infringement Agency (RTIA) stressed that the current rollout was focused on changing the way traffic infringements were processed, moving them away from the criminal justice system and into an administrative adjudication process.<\/p>\n
RTIA spokesperson Monde Mkhaliphi said the biggest change motorists would notice was that most traffic infringements would no longer be dealt with through the Criminal Procedure Act.<\/p>\n
He said the new system was introduced to improve efficiency in the processing of traffic offences, which would be adjudicated by the RTIA.<\/p>\n
Mkhaliphi said the administrative process would significantly reduce delays caused by congested court rolls.<\/p>\n
“The introduction of AARTO is going to make sure that all the traffic violations or contraventions are adjudicated quickly. Within two to three months, those who have broken the law would \u00a0be expected to come forward and account for their deeds on the road,”\u00a0he added.<\/p>\n
Options available to motorists:<\/p>\n
Under the new system, motorists issued with an infringement notice have several options before enforcement action is taken.<\/p>\n
A driver may:<\/p>\n
Pay the fine within 32 days and receive a guaranteed 50% discount.Submit a representation to contest the infringement.Request to pay the fine in instalments if it exceeds R750.Nominate the actual driver responsible for the infringement where applicable.<\/p>\n
“If someone receives a traffic infringement on the N3 towards Durban and gets stopped, then they will be told that there are various options through which she will have to resolve those traffic infringements if the traffic infringement is under AARTO.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey will be given 32 days to go and pay that traffic fine at the municipality. Within that particular 32 days, the motorist would get a guaranteed 50% discount,\u201d said Mkhaliphi.<\/p>\n
He said motorists who disagree with an infringement were not left without recourse.<\/p>\n
“They can lodge a complaint or submit a representation to contest the infringement. Alternatively, they could request to pay in instalments if they feel that the amount is above their budget,”\u00a0he added.<\/p>\n
Mkhaliphi said owners of commercial fleets, taxis and trucks also had protection where an employee was driving the vehicle.<\/p>\n
“The taxi or the truck owner would submit what is called a nomination of a driver form, and then he or she can redirect that ticket to his employee or her employee, or to the person who was operating the car at the time the infringement was committed.”<\/p>\n
What happens if motorists ignore a fine?<\/p>\n
Failure to respond after a courtesy letter is issued could result in an enforcement order being issued.<\/p>\n
“The system now blocks you from interfacing with the National Administration Traffic Information System (NaTIS). You will not be allowed to renew your driving licence or car licence disc. You will also not be allowed to renew your professional driving permit.”<\/p>\n
Mkhaliphi said motorists had further avenues of appeal.<\/p>\n
“If the RTIA refuses to cancel your infringement notice after you have submitted the application for the revocation of the enforcement order, you are free to appeal to a higher body called the AARTO Appeals Tribunal.”<\/p>\n
He said motorists who remained dissatisfied after the Appeals Tribunal ruling could then continue through the judicial system.<\/p>\n
“You could take the matter to the magistrate’s court for further adjudication or the Constitutional Court if warranted.\u201d<\/p>\n
Demerit points still to come<\/p>\n
Mkhaliphi said Phase 2 did not include the implementation of demerits.<\/p>\n
Demerit points will form part of Phase 4, together with a driver rehabilitation programme.<\/p>\n
In phase three, 151 additional municipalities will be added.<\/p>\n
“The actual legislation is designed mainly to assist road users to change their behaviour, to assist road users to clear their traffic infringements so that those don’t stay with them for a very long time.”<\/p>\n
Under the planned demerit system, points will be allocated according to the seriousness of offences, with compliant motorists gradually earning points back through good driving behaviour.<\/p>\n
“The more you drive well on the road, the more you get rewarded.”<\/p>\n
Mkhaliphi said motorists who exceeded the 15-point threshold would first face licence suspension.<\/p>\n
“The maximum number of demerit points, or the threshold, is 15 demerit points. Once the person exceeds the 15 demerit points, then that is when the suspension of the driving licence is done.”<\/p>\n
If a driver repeatedly exceeds the threshold, the consequences become more severe.<\/p>\n
“On the third time that you exceed the set demerit threshold, your driving licence is going to be taken away, and you’re going to be subjected to a driver rehabilitation programme.”<\/p>\n
KZN prepares for implementation<\/p>\n
KZN Department of Transport and Human Settlements spokesperson Ndabezinhle Sibiya said extensive preparations had already been undertaken across the province.<\/p>\n
“In KZN we have trained more than 992 law enforcement officers, mainly the Road Traffic Inspectorate and Operation Shanela teams. Durban Metro Police, for instance, have trained 2,325 metro police officers.”<\/p>\n
He urged motorists to obey traffic laws to avoid future penalties.<\/p>\n
Sibiya also encouraged companies operating vehicle fleets to monitor the compliance status of their drivers.<\/p>\n
“Companies must make sure that their fleet managers check their statuses so that you do not get surprised when you are told that you have accumulated points because of the fines that have not been paid.”<\/p>\n