AARTO rollout set for October in 69 municipalities

THE Transport Department has announced October as the new date for the national rollout of the Administrative Adjudication of Road Traffic Offences (AARTO) system in 69 municipalities.

- MAYIBONGWE MAQHINA

This was announced by Transport Deputy Minister Mkhuleko Hlengwa during the department's budget vote debate in Parliament, when he said 69 municipalities will be ready to implement AARTO while 144 were not yet ready.

“The AARTO will be rolled out in different phases according to municipal readiness from October 1, 2025, for the 69 municipalities, which are ready for the rollout,” Hlengwa said.

“This is Phase 2 of the AARTO rollout programme, while Phase 3 will be rolled out on February 1, 2026, for the 144 municipalities that will only be ready then,” he said.

The AARTO Act was confirmed as constitutional by the apex court, and the department intends to use it to change the behaviour of motorists.

Hlengwa said research has shown that more than 80% of road crashes were due to human error, and that was why there was a call for behaviour-changing efforts on their part.