The Road Traffic Infringement Agency (RTIA) has warned motorists to be wary of fraudulent traffic fine communications urging them to pay immediately or face penalties.
It noted that South Africans have been receiving fake speeding fine notices threatening to block users from renewing their driver’s licence cards and vehicle licence discs.
The RTIA warned motorists who receive these notices to ignore them. It stressed not to pay the fines and to not disclose any personal information.
The fake notices are supposedly for infringements committed under the Administrative Adjudication of Road Traffic Offences (AARTO) Act.
However, AARTO has yet to be rolled out nationwide, as the first stage of the rollout is scheduled for 1 July 2026.
“The RTIA warns the public about numerous fraudulent AARTO fine payments currently circulating,” it said.
“Do not share your personal information with them or pay those fines. They are scammers.”
The agency provided an example of one of the most recently fraudulent messages circulating in South Africa.
The email, which uses the subject line “Final Demand: Enforcement Notice,” has been sent to numerous motorists.
It claims that the RTIA has issued an enforcement notice against the victim’s profile, threatening to block their ability to renew their driver’s licence and vehicle licence disc unless an immediate payment is made.
The email includes a fake reference number and says that “due to non-payment, your balance is now R400.00.”
Responding to these scams, the RTIA explained that the electronic servicing of AARTO documents has yet to be implemented.
“If you receive any email or SMS demanding payment for traffic fines, they are illegal! Always verify your outstanding fines directly with the RTIA.”
Right now, AARTO only exists as a pilot programme in Johannesburg and Pretoria. It was supposed to be implemented nationwide years ago but has been delayed multiple times.
Most recently, it was set to launch in December 2025, but this date has been pushed back to July 2026.
The first phase of the national rollout will launch the new system in the country’s 69 major municipalities. The remaining 144 municipalities will then follow in December 2026.
A key aspect of AARTO is that it will separate traffic violations into less serious “infringements” and more severe “offences.”
Serious offenses will continue to be processed under the Criminal Procedure Act, but infringements will be handled administratively.
Driver’s licence penalty system
AARTO will also implement a controversial new demerit system where motorists earn points on their driver’s licences for traffic violations.
The number of points received depends on the severity of the violation, ranging from one up to a maximum of six.
All motorists will start with zero points and accumulate them when they pay traffic fines or a court has ruled on a serious offence.
Licences have a 15-point limit. If you exceed this threshold, your lience will be suspended by a period of three months for every point over the limit.
In other words, a motorist who goes four points over the limit will have their licence suspended for a year.
During this time, you cannot drive a car, and doing so will be treated as a criminal offence.
Furthermore, licences can only be suspended twice. If a person exceeds the limit a third time, their licence will be cancelled.
They will then be forced to retake their learner’s and driver’s exams to apply for a new card once the suspension period is over.
South Africa will also provide a new “driver rehabilitation programme” for these individuals. Those who complete the programme can reduce their licence ban period.
One important aspect to note is that the demerit points will expire at a rate of one every three months.
This means a person would need to commit several minor infringements or a few serious offences in a relatively short time frame to lose their licence.
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