Traffic fines system problematic - cities

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Michael Sun, member of the mayoral committee for public safety in Johannesburg, and Derrick Kissoonduth, member of the mayoral committee for safety and security in Tshwane, both made representations to Parliament's transport portfolio committee on Friday. They pleaded for the metros to be exempted from executing Aarto because of teething problems in its implementation, and until the system was ready for its national implementation.

System proved disastrous

Sun said Johannesburg had expected the pilot project to help the metro run its traffic systems better. The system had proved disastrous and resulted in even worse compliance than before.

"The implementation of Aarto was supposed to make things easier for motorists and cities. It has not only made things harder for the city but has created unpleasant challenges with the [implementing] Road Traffic Infringement Agency (RTIA)," Sun said. "We have to deploy policing to clamp down on illegal driving and this is creating a strain."

SA Post Office a challenge

Johannesburg Metropolitan Police Department director Sipho Dlepu said the greatest challenge was resolving the requirement to issue infringement notices through registered mail and the tension this caused when dealing with the South African Post Office and the infringement agency.

"The service of courtesy letters and enforcement orders that were offered by the RTIA - as required by the Aarto Act - with the city ceased in October 2015, when the RTIA refused to pay the post office.

"This is when the post office could no longer render proof of service of documents by registered mail. The payment of fines has dropped substantially since then," Dlepu said.

More fines, fewer payments

Before the Aarto system was piloted in 2008, the city had issued 655,719 fines, which had a 10.25% payment rate and generated R15m in income. The number of fines had increased to 1,712,931, but the payment rate now was 4.71% of fines.

The Justice Project SA has instituted court action to ensure traffic infringement notices are sent via registered mail. The Aarto system had generated more fines, but fewer offenders are being prosecuted.

Sharing revenue with the agency was unfair and the city's manager was in possession of a committee report that recommended Aarto be suspended, Dlepu said. Kissoonduth asked that Tshwane be allowed to adjudicate offenses through the Criminal Procedures Act until Aarto was ready for national roll-out.

Agency spokesman Monde Mkalipi acknowledged on Sunday the metros' presentations in Parliament and confirmed the cities were considering suspending Aarto until the issues were resolved. "We will continue implementing Aarto while dealing with all the challenges," he said.

Source: Business Day