Delay of AARTO Act sparks debate

He added that while the postponement offers temporary relief, the government should scrap the AARTO demerit system completely.

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“The model prioritises revenue collection over real road safety improvements and introduces complex administrative processes that will strain municipalities and inconvenience the public,” he said.

Instead of implementing a flawed system, the PSA appealed to the Department of Transport to focus on strengthening law enforcement capacity, improving road infrastructure, and investing in public education campaigns to promote safe driving behaviour.

“These measures will deliver real, sustainable improvements in road safety without imposing unnecessary penalties and bureaucratic hurdles,” said Maleka.

MasterDrive, which provides specialised and advanced driver training, noted that while there was some expectation that the Act would become less onerous, this is not true for businesses.

MasterDrive CEO Eugene Herbert explained that removing a proxy (who acts as a designated contact person for administrative matters) initially alleviates significant administrative load, but this change introduces new requirements.