Saturday, July 26, 2025

July 8, 2025

New Date Set For Launch Of Driver’s Licence Demerit System

Drivers can accumulate up to 15 points before facing a licence suspension, but with a 6-point slap for driving without number plates, some Capetonians might want to refresh their Uber app before October.

[Image: iStock]

Deputy Minister of Transport, Mkhuleko Hlengwa, has confirmed Wednesday, 1 October 2025, as the date from which the new Aarto Act will be implemented across 69 municipalities in South Africa.

Also known as the demerit-based licence system, the new Act will see drivers begin with zero points on their licence, and will accumulate points when they pay the fines for their infringements.

Drivers can rack up to 15 points before their licence is suspended, with the length of the suspension period calculated at three months for every point over the 15-point threshold. This means that even two points over the limit will take a person’s licence away for half a year.

By way of example, exceeding the speed limit by 16-20km/h will give you 2 points, whereas exceeding the speed limit by more than 40km/h will get you 6 points. Failing to use your indicators earns you 1 point, where failure to keep left will result in a hefty 4 points.

Perhaps the worst news for Cape Town drivers is the 6 points penalty you’d get for driving a vehicle without number plates.

Driving during a suspension period is treated as a criminal offence under Aarto, and licences can only be suspended twice. If a driver crosses the line a third time, their licence will be revoked, and they’ll need to redo both their learner’s and driver’s tests once the suspension period is over.

The Department of Transport has announced it will offer a “driver rehabilitation programme” for repeat offenders, allowing those who complete the course to reduce their ban period. However, demerit points only remain valid for three months before falling away, meaning it would take several offences in a relatively short time for a driver to lose their licence.

Top Auto also notes that the demerit system doesn’t replace traffic fines, so you’ll still have to cough up for speeding tickets.

Hlengwa explained that 69 municipalities are prepared to implement the Aarto system in October, but the remaining 144 are not ready and will only be able to roll it out in early 2026.

“The Aarto will be rolled out in different phases according to municipal readiness from 1 October 2025 for the 69 municipalities which are ready for the rollout,” he said.

“This is phase 2 of the Aarto rollout programme, while phase 3 will be rolled out on 1 February 2026 for the 144 municipalities that will only be ready then.”

The minister pointed to national crash statistics to argue that Aarto is crucial for changing driver behaviour on South Africa’s roads, citing research data that shows around 80% of road accidents in the country are due to human error, making government intervention necessary to drive real change in how motorists conduct themselves.

“To bring about positive changes in road user behaviour, the department will implement the Aarto Act, which centres on a demerit system designed to systematically manage and improve driver conduct,” he said.

But the Aarto Act has been controversial from the start, with many drivers pushing back against the idea of a demerit-based licence system in South Africa. The backlash sparked years of legal battles over the legislation, which includes the Aarto Act and its Amendment Act.

Adding to the confusion is the fact that false reports emerged in June 2025, claiming that Aarto had gone live nationwide. In July 2023, the courts ruled that both acts were constitutional and valid.

Originally, Aarto was set to launch on 1 July 2020, but this was postponed to 1 July 2024. Despite this delay, the Road Traffic Infringement Agency (RTIA) and Department of Transport (DoT) still missed the 2024 rollout date.

In theory, this system could remedy some of the terrible driving we see every day, but with existing laws already seen as mere ‘suggestions’ by too many Capetonians, we’ll have to see if it has any effect on attitudes.

[Source: TopAuto]