OUTA calls for traffic fines to be written off
“We also request with immediate effect, the licensing authorities do not force motorists to settle enforcement orders for outstanding traffic fines going forward, until this entire debacle has been cleared up,” says Ben Theron, OUTA’s Transport Portfolio Director.
“We believe it is time for the Auditor General and others in authority to conduct a full and comprehensive audit of the entire AARTO system.”
The Administrative Adjudication of Road Traffic Offences (AARTO) has been in development for close on a decade now and in test phase in Tshwane and Johannesburg for most of this time. Despite all the effort and money poured into the scheme, it remains cumbersome, impractical and virtually unworkable.
The recent court judgment has shown how costly and impractical the scheme is to manage, which has now left the two metros with billions of Rands missing in their respective revenue budgets, which is virtually uncollectable.
“What society needs to know is how much money has been spent on the AARTO system to date?” adds Theron, “Accordingly, we feel that the AG needs to take a hard look at the extent of the Road Traffic Management Agency's (RTIA’s) failure to comply with the regulations. Additionally, the Transport department needs to also take a hard look at the real reasons behind the AATRO scheme’s failure and to engage with critics of the system, who for years have warned of its failure to effectively manage and tackle traffic violations and road safety matters in South Africa.