STELLALANDER-VRYBURG: The Department of Transport has officially gazetted new commencement dates for the long-awaited national rollout of the Administrative Adjudication of Road Traffic Offences (AARTO) Act.
This includes a firm launch date of 1 September 2026 for South Africa’s driving demerit system. Published in the national government gazette, the announcement confirms that different sections of the AARTO Act will take effect in a phased approach between 1 December 2025 and 1 September 2026, putting an end to months of confusion and speculation.
While the AARTO system has been in operation for years in metros like Johannesburg and Tshwane, national implementation has faced repeated delays, despite a green light from the Constitutional Court after earlier legal challenges. In recent months, misleading reports in several mainstream publications falsely claimed the system would be introduced as early as July 2025. These claims persisted even after the department publicly dismissed them. A subsequent date of October 2025 was also circulated before a temporary date of 1 December was confirmed by the department and the Road Traffic Infringement Agency (RTIA). The latest gazette now brings clarity, establishing that the rollout will occur in two waves: From 1 December 2025: AARTO will commence in 69 metros and municipalities, including Ga-Segonyana Local Municipality (Kuruman). From 1 April 2026: Implementation will extend to 144 additional municipalities, including: Ratlou Local Municipality, Tswaing Local Municipality, Maquassi Hills Local Municipality, Lekwa-Teemane Local Municipality, Kagisano-Molopo Local Municipality, Naledi Local Municipality, Greater Taung Local Municipality and Mamusa Local Municipality. These phases will see the enforcement of sections 17, 18, 19, 19A, 19B, 20, 23, 29, 30, 31, 32, 34, and 35 of the Act, sections that detail the processes for infringement notices, penalties, and other administrative procedures essential for the functioning of the system. Crucially, the national rollout of the driving demerit system, a key feature of the AARTO Act, will only commence from 1 September 2026. This system introduces demerit points for traffic violations, which may lead to the suspension or cancellation of driver’s licences, if offenders exceed the allowable threshold. The objective is to promote safer driving behaviour and reduce road fatalities. The Department of Transport has encouraged the public to familiarise themselves with the new regulations and ensure compliance once implementation begins in their respective regions.
