AARTO concerns unresolved ahead of April roll-out

The Road Freight
Association is keeping a
close eye on the proposed
roll-out of AARTO,
with the Department of
Transport indicating that
the points demerit system
will take effect by no later
than April next year.
According to Gavin
Kelly, spokesman for the
RFA, the organisation has
participated extensively
in the public commentary
process around the
demerit system.
“The Association
has submitted various
comments on the
points and offences
and tabled members’
concerns regarding the
administration of the
system,” he told FTW. “It
has also highlighted the
implications this system
will have on drivers who
receive demerits in their
private capacity and
therefore will no longer be
deemed fit for duty. This has
been communicated to both
government and unions.”
Kelly said these concerns
had yet to be addressed in
the system.
Experts maintain
that unless government
takes note of these issues
and addresses them,
implementation of AARTO
and the subsequent demerit
system will be f lawed.
“AARTO stemmed from
two issues,” said Kelly. “The
first is that there was no
completion in the cycle of
arresting alleged offenders
and dealing with them, and
the second was an attempt
at one-on-one contact
between law enforcement
and the public.”
AARTO was also seen
by government as a means
of taking certain road
offences out of the criminal
court and easing that
pressure on the justice
system.
The legislation around
AARTO was passed in
1998, but it has yet to be
rolled out country-wide
nearly two decades later.
“AARTO relies on a
unified traffic force and
a thorough data base,”
said Kelly. “This is where
the challenges for this
legislation started and
continue to this day. There
are serious questions
around how this will affect
law enforcement in the
country and how they are
going to implement it. We
are keeping a very close
eye on this and any new
developments that arise.”