Big changes for speeding fines, a South African car dealer slashes jobs, and the official petrol price for January

These were the five biggest stories in South Africa’s transport industry this week.

Big changes for speeding fines in South Africa

Speeding fines in South Africa can vary greatly depending on where they were issued, but this is likely to change under the country’s new driving laws.

Most of the country still handles speeding as an offence under the Criminal Procedure Act, but this will change once the Administrative Adjudication of Road Traffic Offences (Aarto) Act comes into effect in July.

This system will separate traffic violations into two categories, with minor cases treated as “infringements” while more severe actions will be listed as “offences.”

South Africa’s largest car dealer slashes jobs as Chinese pressure mounts

The automotive retailer giant Motus has laid off 86 employees due to ongoing industry pressures.

Additionally, 579 employees are being impacted by remuneration and benefit changes that were implemented on 1 January 2026.

The Motor Industry Staff Association trade union cited the influx of Chinese car brands as a leading factor in these retrenchments, resulting in severe pressure and competition for legacy dealerships and manufacturers.

Official petrol price decreases for January announced

The latest fuel price adjustments came into effect this week on Wednesday, 7 January 2026.

Petrol and diesel both saw appreciable price cuts this month, with the former dropping by 66c per litre while the latter was reduced by 150c per litre.

The improved rates are attributed to the rand’s strong performance against the dollar, and a lower international oil price.

Best-selling car brands in South Africa

Naamsa has published the auto industry’s official sales figures for December 2025.

The industry ended the year on a high note with a collective total of 48,983 purchases.

Two standout performers last month included VW, which reclaimed second place from Suzuki, and Jetour, which broke into the top 10 for the first time.

Proposal to raise drinking age to 23 in South Africa

An East London-based non-profit known as Gatekeepers South Africa has written to President Cyril Ramaphosa proposing that the legal drinking age be increased from 18 to between 21 and 23.

The group has also called for alcohol adverts to be banned from public spaces and harsher punishments for businesses and individuals that sell alcohol to minors.

The government proposed the Liquor Amendment Bill in 2016, which would raise the legal drinking age, but this has been revised multiple times over the years and has yet to be approved.