The Road Traffic Infringement Agency (RTIA) says motorists cannot be arrested for failing to pay their fines.
The agency says that the provision has been removed from the Administrative Adjudication of Road Traffic Offences Act (Aarto Act) and the only way that law enforcement could get motorists to pay their outstanding fines is through issuing enforcement orders.
In Gauteng, motorists that have unpaid fines will have their licence blocked on the system and suspended for a couple of months.
The Aarto Act is expected to come into full effect nationwide in July next year.
RTIA Spokesperson Monde Mkalipi says: “The process is purely administrative now. What is happening in Gauteng now is that we have Aarto in place and if you fail to pay within the 64 day period, your driving licence gets blocked on the system. No one is normally given or is given a warrant of arrest for failing to resolve the traffic fines. The main issue is that you get blocked on the system.”
AA to oppose infringement levy
Meanwhile, the Automobile Association (AA) says it will challenge the Infringement Penalty Levy published in the latest draft of the Aarto Act, gazetted by Transport Minister Fikile Mbalula last month.
Under this, motorists will be charged an extra R100 levy to be paid over and above all traffic fines.
AA Spokesperson Layton Beard has described the levy as a steal tax disguised as something else:
