The national implementation date of the Administrative Adjudication of Road Traffic Offences (Aarto) demerit system would be determined once the system’s state of readiness had been finalised and the required legislative measures developed and implemented, Transport Minister Dipuo Peters said in Parliamentary reply.

The Minister noted that through a comprehensive audit and assessment of the system, issues pertaining to systems interfaces and the issuing authorities, Post Office processes and requirements, as well as the recording and capturing of the system’s court process had been identified.

She indicated that the National Contraventions Register, which dealt with all the processes and procedures that had to be followed in terms of Aarto, was currently being enhanced to deal with these issues.

“Furthermore, [the] provision of adequate funding for the agency to improve its capacity and perform its duties and functions as required, including the serving of courtesy letters and enforcement orders, would be achieved through the approval of the Aarto Amendment Bill and its supporting regulations,” Peters added.

She stated that, once these remedial measures were finalised, a report would be prepared for discussion with all stakeholders.

Following this, and  once the state of readiness had been finalised, a date for the national roll-out would be determined and a memorandum on the national roll-out would be submitted to Parliament.