AARTO is dysfunctional in Johannesburg and Tshwane Metros and poses risk to road users

7 October 2021

The FF Plus was shocked to learn that AARTO (Administrative Adjudication of Road Traffic Offences Act), which was implemented in the Johannesburg and Tshwane Metros as the only policing system regulating road users' conduct, has been dysfunctional since 1 July 2021.

The situation resulted because the contract of the existing service provider that administrates traffic fines lapsed and a new service provider was not appointed.

As a result, reckless driving will not be policed seeing as fines are simply lapsing because they are not being issued.

A requirement of the AARTO system is that any fine must be issued within 30 days of being generated otherwise the fine becomes irregular and is no longer valid. Seeing as no fines are being issued, reckless drivers can violate traffic laws with impunity and endanger other road users' lives.

The FF Plus said in the past that the AARTO system is not ready to be rolled out nationwide because the implementation of it in Gauteng failed miserably.

The main objective of the AARTO system is to make roads safer for motorists. However, during the pilot phase of AARTO in the Johannesburg and Tshwane Metros, the number of reckless driving incidences, accidents, injuries and deaths on roads did not decrease. In addition, there were constant administrative problems hampering AARTO's functionality.

Seeing as reckless driving was previously policed by the criminal justice system, which has now been completely replaced by AARTO, there is currently no system imposing fines on drivers forcing them to drive safely during the time that AARTO is dysfunctional.

This is simply a continuation of the ANC's reckless way of governing Gauteng.

The FF Plus will urgently lodge queries about the matter with the Gauteng Department of Roads.

Issued by Anton Alberts, FF Plus national chairperson and MPL: Gauteng, 7 October 2021