The Road Traffic Infringement Authority (RTIA) says the implementation of Phase 2 of the Administrative Adjudication of Road Traffic Offences Act (AARTO) is continuing as scheduled.
This as RTIA welcomed the order of the Gauteng Division of the High Court in Pretoria on Tuesday. The South African Local Government Association (SALGA) had brought an urgent application to interdict the implementation of Phase 2 of AARTO, which is scheduled to commence on 1 July 2026.
“On 23 June 2026, SALGA instituted an urgent application against the Minister of Transport, RTIA, the Road Traffic Management Corporation (RTMC), and the Minister of Finance. SALGA raised concerns on the regulatory framework for the implementation of Phase 2 of AARTO, infrastructure and equipment readiness of issuing authorities, and the financial model for municipalities,” the authority said in a statement.
The purpose of the Act is to promote quality, safety and discipline in road traffic by providing for a scheme to discourage road traffic contraventions; to facilitate the adjudication of road traffic infringements; to support the prosecution of offences in terms of national and provincial laws relating to road traffic, and to implement a points demerit system, among others.
Additionally, SALGA had formally declared an intergovernmental dispute on 19 June 2026, in terms of section 41 of the Constitution and the Intergovernmental Relations Framework Act, seeking to halt the implementation of Phase 2 of AARTO, pending the resolution of the dispute.
SALGA’s application was opposed by the Department of Transport, RTIA, and the South African Post Office (SAPO) on the following grounds:
• Lack of urgency: SALGA had been aware of the 1 July 2026 implementation date since November 2025 but delayed bringing the application, creating its own urgency.
• Lack of authority to represent municipalities: SALGA failed to provide evidence that municipalities authorised it to bring the application on their behalf. The Minister served a formal notice in terms of Rule 7 of the Uniform Rules of the High Court, requiring SALGA to produce council resolutions from the affected municipalities.
• Presidential proclamation not yet in place at the time of the filing of the application: The implementation of AARTO requires a Presidential Proclamation.
• Readiness for implementation: RTIA demonstrated that it is fully prepared for Phase 2 rollout. Under Phase 2, there are 62 issuing authorities with 283 combined sites, of which 75% are properly equipped and have received relevant training. This includes the provision of equipment, training of law enforcement officers and back-office personnel and ensuring network connectivity.
Upon hearing the matter, the Court struck the application from the roll, finding that:
• SALGA failed to establish urgency, as required by the rules of the High Court.
• SALGA failed to demonstrate that it was authorised to act on behalf of municipalities.
• Courts should not lightly interfere with government decisions on policy matters and the implementation of legislation.
“The order clears the way for the implementation of AARTO Phase 2, as scheduled on 1 July 2026, the system is now being rolled out across a total of 62 local and metropolitan municipalities, building upon the initial implementation already underway in Johannesburg and Tshwane.
“RTIA remains committed to the successful rollout of AARTO and will continue working with all issuing authorities to ensure effective implementation. Motorists and the public are encouraged to familiarise themselves with the AARTO system through the official channels and resources provided by RTIA,” it said.
Meanwhile, SALGA on Tuesday expressed disappointment at the ruling of the court.
“The ‘for lack of urgency’, reasoning by the court, only means that the merits of the case will have to be argued at a later stage and not on an urgent basis,” it said.
It further added that at the heart of the contention are concerns around the funding model underpinning the Act and its regulations.
This as RTIA welcomed the order of the Gauteng Division of the High Court in Pretoria on Tuesday. The South African Local Government Association (SALGA) had brought an urgent application to interdict the implementation of Phase 2 of AARTO, which is scheduled to commence on 1 July 2026.
“On 23 June 2026, SALGA instituted an urgent application against the Minister of Transport, RTIA, the Road Traffic Management Corporation (RTMC), and the Minister of Finance. SALGA raised concerns on the regulatory framework for the implementation of Phase 2 of AARTO, infrastructure and equipment readiness of issuing authorities, and the financial model for municipalities,” the authority said in a statement.
The purpose of the Act is to promote quality, safety and discipline in road traffic by providing for a scheme to discourage road traffic contraventions; to facilitate the adjudication of road traffic infringements; to support the prosecution of offences in terms of national and provincial laws relating to road traffic, and to implement a points demerit system, among others.
Additionally, SALGA had formally declared an intergovernmental dispute on 19 June 2026, in terms of section 41 of the Constitution and the Intergovernmental Relations Framework Act, seeking to halt the implementation of Phase 2 of AARTO, pending the resolution of the dispute.
SALGA’s application was opposed by the Department of Transport, RTIA, and the South African Post Office (SAPO) on the following grounds:
• Lack of urgency: SALGA had been aware of the 1 July 2026 implementation date since November 2025 but delayed bringing the application, creating its own urgency.
• Lack of authority to represent municipalities: SALGA failed to provide evidence that municipalities authorised it to bring the application on their behalf. The Minister served a formal notice in terms of Rule 7 of the Uniform Rules of the High Court, requiring SALGA to produce council resolutions from the affected municipalities.
• Presidential proclamation not yet in place at the time of the filing of the application: The implementation of AARTO requires a Presidential Proclamation.
• Readiness for implementation: RTIA demonstrated that it is fully prepared for Phase 2 rollout. Under Phase 2, there are 62 issuing authorities with 283 combined sites, of which 75% are properly equipped and have received relevant training. This includes the provision of equipment, training of law enforcement officers and back-office personnel and ensuring network connectivity.
Upon hearing the matter, the Court struck the application from the roll, finding that:
• SALGA failed to establish urgency, as required by the rules of the High Court.
• SALGA failed to demonstrate that it was authorised to act on behalf of municipalities.
• Courts should not lightly interfere with government decisions on policy matters and the implementation of legislation.
“The order clears the way for the implementation of AARTO Phase 2, as scheduled on 1 July 2026, the system is now being rolled out across a total of 62 local and metropolitan municipalities, building upon the initial implementation already underway in Johannesburg and Tshwane.
“RTIA remains committed to the successful rollout of AARTO and will continue working with all issuing authorities to ensure effective implementation. Motorists and the public are encouraged to familiarise themselves with the AARTO system through the official channels and resources provided by RTIA,” it said.
Meanwhile, SALGA on Tuesday expressed disappointment at the ruling of the court.
“The ‘for lack of urgency’, reasoning by the court, only means that the merits of the case will have to be argued at a later stage and not on an urgent basis,” it said.
It further added that at the heart of the contention are concerns around the funding model underpinning the Act and its regulations.