New Driving System Rollout Dates Confirmed for 213 South African Municipalities

The Department of Transport has officially published new commencement dates in the Government Gazette for various parts of the Administrative Adjudication of Road Traffic Offences Act (AARTO). Among these announcements is the confirmed national launch of the much-anticipated driving demerit system, now scheduled to begin in September 2026. This marks one of the most significant overhauls of traffic enforcement in democratic South Africa, affecting both habitual offenders and law-abiding drivers alike.

Key Takeaways

• AARTO rollout dates confirmed: The nationwide implementation of the AARTO system will begin in two phases, starting on 1 December 2025 for 69 municipalities and on 1 April 2026 for 144 more. This staged rollout will lead up to the full activation of the driving demerit system in September 2026.
• Key sections of the Act coming into force: Legal provisions dealing with infringement notices, penalties, and administrative processes will become active during the rollout. These sections establish the framework for how traffic offences will be handled going forward.
• Driving demerit system launching nationwide: From 1 September 2026, drivers across South Africa will begin receiving demerit points for road traffic violations. Reaching the maximum threshold of points could result in licence suspensions or cancellations.

Staggered Implementation Timeline Outlined in Official Gazette

The notification appeared in the most recent edition of the national Government Gazette and details how different sections of the AARTO Act will be brought into effect through a phased rollout. This staged process is set to begin in December 2025 and will extend until at least September 2026, allowing for gradual implementation across municipalities. This timeline signals the government’s renewed commitment to curbing road violations and modernising the country’s traffic adjudication system following years of legal setbacks and public uncertainty.

While this national rollout marks a significant expansion, the AARTO system itself is not entirely new. It has already been in operation for several years in major metropolitan areas such as Johannesburg and Tshwane. The long-term goal of the government has always been to extend the system across all regions in South Africa, ensuring a consistent and standardised approach to road traffic enforcement. These urban testbeds have served as a proving ground for refining the system’s operational challenges, offering a glimpse of how the country-wide enforcement will function in practice.

Legal Delays and Constitutional Challenges Slowed Progress

Despite these longstanding intentions, the broader implementation of AARTO has faced persistent delays. These were largely due to legal obstacles, including challenges brought on Constitutional grounds. Only after South Africa’s highest court ruled in favour of the AARTO Act was the path cleared for a nationwide launch.

In the months leading up to the official gazette, confusion had spread among members of the public due to inaccurate reports circulated by some mainstream media outlets. Several of these articles claimed that the nationwide rollout of AARTO would take place in July 2025, although the Department of Transport had publicly dismissed those claims shortly before they began to circulate. The result was widespread misinformation, leaving motorists unsure of when or how the demerit system would impact their driving records.

Phased Rollout to Cover All Municipalities by Mid-2026

The government has explained that the initial implementation phase on 1 December 2025 will apply to 69 municipalities and metropolitan areas. This will be followed by a second phase commencing on 1 April 2026, which will extend AARTO’s reach to an additional 144 municipalities. Altogether, this phased approach will cover 213 local government areas across the country. The staged rollout is designed to ensure that administrative infrastructure, staff training, and public awareness campaigns can be completed in a manageable, structured manner.

The specific sections of the Act that will take effect during these two phases include sections 17, 18, 19, 19A, 19B, 20, 23, 29, 30, 31, 32, 34, and 35. These sections lay the foundation for the AARTO framework by establishing procedures for issuing infringement notices, imposing penalties, and enforcing the necessary regulations that underpin the system’s effectiveness.

Driving Demerit System to Start in September 2026 Nationwide

It is worth noting that the portion of the Act relating directly to the driving demerit system has a separate commencement date. This part of the AARTO framework is scheduled to begin on 1 September 2026 and will be implemented simultaneously across the entire country. Once in effect, the system will assign demerit points to motorists for various traffic offences. Drivers who accumulate too many points risk having their licences suspended or, in more serious cases, cancelled. The demerit system is expected to be a powerful behavioural deterrent, particularly for repeat offenders who habitually ignore traffic laws.

For transparency, the Department of Transport has also published the full list of municipalities scheduled to join the AARTO rollout in each phase. These documents detail the regions involved in the 1 December 2025 and 1 April 2026 implementation dates and are accessible through the official gazette. Municipal authorities are expected to begin preparing their administrative systems immediately to avoid bottlenecks when enforcement begins.

1 December 2025 list of municipalities for AARTO

1 April 2026 list of municipalities for AARTO

Conclusion

The Department of Transport has now formally ended months of speculation by confirming the rollout schedule for the AARTO Act through an official gazette. With implementation starting in December 2025 and the demerit system coming into effect in September 2026, South Africa is preparing for one of the most extensive changes to road traffic enforcement in its democratic era. The staged approach gives municipalities time to align administrative systems while ensuring motorists are made aware of the serious implications tied to repeated traffic offences.

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