By Gavin Kelly
The Road Freight Association takes note of the various rumours circulated on some social media platforms that AARTO (the Administrative Adjudication of Road Traffic Offences) is due to roll out from midnight tomorrow night, Friday 6 June.
We have seen these sorts of announcements over a number of years, and the latest announcements seem to be fuelled by reports coming from media outside of South Africa.
There was a press release issued by the Road Traffic Infringement Agency (RTIA) which is the organisation that would roll out AARTO, and their last communiqué was that AARTO would be rolled out in October 2025. To date, we have not seen anything confirming that that is going to happen, and definitely no communication about a roll-out now, this first week of June 2025.
The Road Freight Association (RFA) wrote comprehensive feedback to both the Department of Transport and the RTIA in 2019 on the then proposed regulations.
To date, the Association has not received feedback in terms of that, neither written nor verbal, nor has the Association seen any new regulations which would be required – given the type of feedback that was given to the RTIA and the tremendous pushback that came from the general public.
Until such time as those regulations or new regulations are published, it is highly improbable that AARTO would be rolled out in its form as it stood in 2019.
The Association urges the RTIA to respond to our comments and proposals, because the 2019 version of AARTO would not be in any way beneficial to either fleet operators, private drivers, private vehicle owners, or the economy.
Furthermore, the Association suggests that any query should be forwarded to the Road Traffic Infringement Agency, as they and they alone would be able to confirm any date of implementation.
About The Road Freight Association
The Road Freight Association was established in 1975 to support its Members who are, in the main, road freight operators. It is a lobbying and negotiating body which influences the state of the industry, rates, upkeep of the road infrastructure, road safety, freight security, driver interests, cross-border transport, education, health, the fuel price, law enforcement, labour relations and many other issues related to road freight transport.
Member companies include small and medium-sized trucking companies, including many family-owned businesses, owner operators, as well as most of the largest trucking companies in South Africa. Members come from all sectors of the trucking industry.
Private and public operators are Members of the RFA. Membership also includes a significant number of affiliates and associates – those companies providing goods and services to the trucking industry.
Team RFA (made up of support staff and experts) is committed to serving you. The team brings with it a high degree of professional experience, knowledge and dedication – which greatly contributes to the effectiveness, relevance and standing of the RFA.
As the voice of the trucking industry in South Africa, the RFA is your voice. It is important that you avail yourself of that opportunity to be heard
Gavin Kelly is CEO of the Road Freight Association.
