Cities take on Aarto

CAPE: MANY WANT TO OPT OUT OF CONTROVERSIAL DEMERIT ROLLOUT >>> 'Can't work while key systems like eNatis stay unreliable.'

- Antoinette Slabbert

RIP-OFF. Motorists will have to pay R60 per query to find out how many demerit points they have, but 'this costs the RTIA virtually nothing to provide and should be free of charge'. Picture: AdobeStock

(AdobeStock)

With less than a month to go before the controversial Aarto Act comes into effect in 69 municipalities nationwide on 1 December, the City of Cape Town and several surrounding municipalities are asking for exemption.

The Road Traffic Infringement Agency (RTIA), which is responsible for administering the Administrative Adjudication of Road Traffic Offences Act (Aarto), confirmed that the mayors of Cape Town, Swellendam, Stellenbosch, George, Mossel Bay and Bergrivier (Piketberg) have requested exemption from the next phases of Aarto implementation.

This refers to the planned expansion of Aarto from the current two metros - Johannesburg and Tshwane - to 69 more municipalities on 1 December, and then to the remaining municipalities on 1 April.