{"id":838287,"date":"2025-09-25T13:00:00","date_gmt":"2025-09-25T11:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/businesstech.co.za\/news\/?p=838287"},"modified":"2025-09-25T14:06:37","modified_gmt":"2025-09-25T12:06:37","slug":"warning-over-new-driving-laws-hitting-69-municipalities-in-south-africa-soon","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/businesstech.co.za\/news\/government\/838287\/warning-over-new-driving-laws-hitting-69-municipalities-in-south-africa-soon\/","title":{"rendered":"69 municipalities in South Africa are about to get a big wake up call"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Motorists across South Africa are being warned to expect larger fines, shorter discount periods and much sharper consequences for not paying up from 1 December 2025.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The date marks the first major rollout of the Administrative Adjudication of Road Traffic Offences (AARTO) system, which will launch in 69 metros and municipalities. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

This will be followed by the rollout of the system in another 144 municipalities on 1 April 2026, ending with the launch of the long-awaited driving demerit system in September 2026.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The AARTO system has been operating in metros like Johannesburg and Tshwane for years, but the government has long-held plans to roll the system out nationally.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The rollout has been beset with delays, however, even though the system got the go-ahead from South Africa\u2019s apex court after legal challenges on Constitutional grounds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While the driving demerit system is the biggest systemic change under the new laws, there are also a host of administrative changes taking place that will shake things up for drivers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to FinesSA.co.za, motorists and fleet managers need to prepare for stricter unpaid fine penalties, the possibility of losing driving privileges under the new demerit system, and a surge in fraudsters circulating fake \u201cghost fines.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Notably, the group warned that ignoring or mishandling fines could mean losing your licence or being unable to renew your car registration under the law.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you try to sell a car with unresolved AARTO infringements, you could also be prevented from doing so.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While the AARTO rolling out nationally is similar to the current version, which applies in Johannesburg and Tshwane, it has numerous differences.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The most significant change is the introduction of \u201celectronic service\u201d and removing the right to be tried by a competent court. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

How the new system will work<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Under the current system, fines are issued in terms of the Criminal Procedure Act. This makes traffic violations a criminal process and regards all violations as criminal offences.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

These offences are prosecuted by the NPA, mainly in the lower courts. As such they also require strict adminstrative processes that often place the burden on the state to pursue offenders.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This includes notices being served through registered mail.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The AARTO Act will “decriminalise” most traffic violations and subject them to different administrative processes. While this appears more positive for drivers, the administrative changes flip the script.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The laws bring a three-step process in issuing fines:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \n
  • Infringement notice: <\/strong>Offenders will be hit with an infringement notice and notified either physically or electronically. They will have 32 days to pay the fine at a 50% discount.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
      \n
    • Courtesy letter: <\/strong>If the deadline is missed, the discount falls away and an administrative penalty is added. Offenders will have 32 days to pay the full amount.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
        \n
      • Enforcement notice:<\/strong> If the second deadline is missed, another administrative penalty is added, and demerit points (when the system is operational) will be applied.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n

        Once an enforcement notice is in effect, motorists will be blocked from having any NaTIS documents issued, including driving licences, professional driving permits or vehicle licence discs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

        The old excuses of “not receiving the notices” also increasingly fall away, as each notice can be issued electronically through various digital channels, and the onus now falls on offenders to prove their case.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

        There are also no automatic rights to have the matter heard in court or to have summonses issued and served, as the fines are no longer under the CPA.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

        At every step, it is up to drivers or vehicle owners to make their case to have the fine reversed or redirected where necessary.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

        Simply put, ignoring fines won’t make them go away, and there are real-world consequences for individuals and businesses for not paying up.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

        Driving demerits bring big changes<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

        The real shift for drivers will come from 1 September 2026 (if there are no further delays) when the driving demerit system will be implemented.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

        Under the demerit points system, each fine carries a point, and these can accumulate quickly, posing the real risk of licence suspension once 15 demerit points are reached. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

        For businesses, it introduces added compliance burdens from nominating responsible drivers to managing fines across entire fleets.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

        Traffic fines and demerit points are linked to the vehicle\u2019s owner, not just the driver, adding further complications.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

        The demerit system aims to improve road safety by penalising repeat offenders. Every driver starts with zero demerit points.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

        When you commit a traffic violation, you get a fine and a set number of demerit points based on the severity of the offence. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

        If you accumulate 15 or more points, your licence will be suspended. If your licence is suspended multiple times, it can be permanently cancelled.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

        Points decrease by one every three months if the driver does not commit further violations. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

        Because the infringement and enforcement notices can be delivered through electronic and digital channels, various groups have warned that motorits have little room to try and dodge the sytem.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

        Notably, there may be other, unintended consequences of this move, such as a rise in scammers and fraudsters who may try to exploit the notices.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

        Given the prevalence of digital scams in South Africa, this is now another avenue to watch out for, where fraudsters may spoof RTIA notices, urging people to pay “ghost” fines that don’t exist.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

        From 1 December, these are the municipalities that will have the new AARTO system in effect:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

        1 December 2025 list of municipalities for AARTO<\/h2>\n\n\n\n