No Aarto for 2010?

Problems plaguing the Administrative Adjudication of Road Traffic Offences Act (Aarto) could result in delayed implementation of the demerit system for motorists, says the Department of Transport.

While the Road Traffic Management Corporation (RTMC) says it still aims to meet the 2010 deadline it previously set for the nationwide implementation of the system, the Department of Transport says “no dates are set in stone”.

The department says it is looking into reports it has received on the problems experienced with the system during the pilot phase, and no decisions have yet been taken on its widespread implementation.

“We have received recommendations that we do not implement Aarto countrywide before some critical issues with the system have been addressed. We are currently looking into these recommendations and the minister will only take a decision once he has studied various reports,” says the department.

The pilot was first put into practice in Tshwane in July 2008 and rolled out in Johannesburg in February 2009. Aarto is facilitated by the RTMC, to ensure the proper and effective functioning of its systems and processes, with law enforcement being the key focus.

The RTMC says the main objective of the pilot was to test the applicable systems, forms, processes and procedures, and to assess their impact on operations. The results of the pilot would then be used to assess the efficacy of all systems, identify weaknesses and enhance them prior to engaging the national roll-out.

The RTMC says that, while there have been concerns about the system, it is confident the results of the pilot would ensure the successful roll-out of the project. The pilot was used to test the applicable systems, forms, processes and procedures, and to assess their impact on operations, and changes would be made before deployment in 2010.

The department says it has received several reports, which indicate the system might not be ready for countrywide implementation in 2010. It says all the problems are being discussed and solutions are being drawn up, “as a matter of urgency”.

“There have been growing concerns about the unlawful collecting of payments, the wrongful distribution of fines and the inefficient handling of payments, which has led to the loss of millions of rands, and we have to intervene to make sure this is not the case when the implementation goes ahead,” says the department.

The RTMC previously stated the driver's licence points demerit system will not be implemented until Aarto has been successfully rolled out throughout the country.

The corporation also previously stated that concerns about the Aarto point demerit system had been addressed. It maintained the system would be implemented throughout the country in 2010.

The RTMC says it has identified several problems with Aarto in the last few months, but gave assurances these would all be solved before implementation. It highlighted issues within law enforcement and systems and procedure, which existed before Aarto was launched.

It says lack of infrastructure, electronic and physical enforcement, office administrative resources, skills development and training of authorised officers are some key areas of concern.