AARTO launch dates now confirmed

THE national rollout of the Administrative Adjudication of Road Traffic Offences Amendment Act (AARTO) has been officially gazetted, after President Ramaphosa signed the Proclamation on Friday.

- JASON WOOSEY

According to the Government Gazette issued on August 1, most sections of the act will come into effect in major municipalities across the country on December 1, followed by the remaining municipalities on April 1, 2026. The remaining sections of the AARTO Act (26 to 28), which are believed to include the dreaded demerit points, are set to take effect on September 1, 2026.

A total of 69 municipalities will implement AARTO from the beginning of December: Johannesburg, Pretoria, Ekhuruleni, Mbombela, Polokwane, Durban, Newcastle, Ladysmith, Bloemfontein, Qgeberha, East London, Cape Town, Stellenbosch, George and Beaufort West.

From April, the rollout will extend to 75 smaller municipalities, including Musina, Umdoni, Musina, Lepelle, Okhahlamba, Richmond, Kokstad, Blouberg, Great Kei and Sundays River.

In July, the Road Traffic Infringement Agency (RTIA) said service outlets had been created across the country and over 25 000 traffic officers were currently being trained to implement the new system within the confines of the law.