Traffic fine warning for anyone visiting this area in South Africa

More than R19.5 million has been generated in traffic fines at O.R. Tambo International Airport in Gauteng within the last five years.

This astonishing figure was recently disclosed by Justice and Constitutional Development Minister Mmamoloko Kubayi in response to a parliamentary question from the Democratic Alliance.

Kubayi revealed that within the last five financial years, from 2019/2020 to 2023/2024, tickets had generated R19,524,244.21 from traffic offences at Gauteng’s largest airport.

Interestingly, around 44% of this money was generated in a single year, as R8.78-million worth of fines were issued in the 2019/2020 financial year.

The second-highest fiscal year, from 2021 to 2022, collected an additional R4.05 million.

It’s important to note that South Africa uses two different traffic fine systems, one of which follows the Criminal Procedures Act (CPA), while the other is based on the Administrative Adjudication of Road Traffic Offences (AARTO) Act.

According to Fines SA, the CPA system is applied nationwide and handles traffic violations as criminal offences, with the possibility of court trials and criminal records.

However, it does not use a demerit points system.

AARTO, on the other hand, is currently limited to the Johannesburg and Tshwane metros in Gauteng, and will eventually be rolled out on a national level as well.

The AARTO Act is primarily intended to offer a streamlined process for dealing with fines, and is set to introduce a new demerit system from September 2025.

Earlier this year, the Automobile Association highlighted the 10 most common traffic fines in South Africa.

This includes the usual suspects like speeding and using a phone while driving, as well as less obvious infractions such as failing to yield to pedestrians.

Traffic fines are a valuable resource for local municipalities, making up a considerable portion of their revenue.

Stats South Africa’s last financial census report, published in June 2024, found that “other revenue” made up approximately 12.7% of all municipal revenue for the financial year ending June 2023.

“Other revenue” consists of fines, penalties, forfeits, licences, permits, transfers, and subsidies.

Of this group, R6.26 billion was raked in by fines, penalties and forfeits over the course of the financial year.

As a point of reference, property rates accounted for 16.6% of municipal funds, only 4% more than fines and “other” revenue sources.

Tougher fines for South Africa

The Department of Transport previously announced that it wants to increase the penalty for traffic fines.

Furthermore, it was proposed that motorists should be required to pay their outstanding fines when applying to renew their car licence discs.

If the individual refuses, their licence renewal application could potentially be denied.

These drastic proposals were revealed as part of an ongoing effort to address the country’s high road deaths following the 2024/2025 festive season.

During this period, more than 1,500 people lost their lives in 1,234 crashes, marking a 5% increase from the already worrying stats the year prior.

Transport Minister Barbara Creecy stated that the vast majority of road deaths in South Africa are caused by human behaviour, as demonstrated in frequent offences like drunk driving, speeding, and reckless overtakes.

“The number of people dying has gone up because of bad behaviour. We’ve warned people, but too many drivers and pedestrians still act irresponsibly,” she said.

Creecy argued that South Africa should adopt a similar strategy to Australia, where heavy fines are issued in place of criminal records or confiscated licences.

“If we hit people’s wallets hard enough, even the most stubborn drivers will think twice,” said the minister.

Another controversial proposal was made by Deputy Minister of Transport, Mkhuleko Hlengwa, who argued that the Road Accident Fund Levy should be added to the pricing calculation of alcohol.

“If you hit the pocket, you make quite a significant stride towards ensuring that there’s a second thought to how people conduct themselves and how they drink their alcohol and where they drink their alcohol,” said the deputy minister.