Traffic fines could start coming by e-mail

Draft legislation could pave the way for the state to e-mail road traffic fines to motorists, it was reported.

Beeld reported that this had emerged from amendments to the Law on the Administrative Adjudication of Road Traffic (Aarto) published in the Government Gazette in February.

People have until March 21 to comment on the proposal.

Beeld reported that the introduction of Aarto, which was currently enforced only in Johannesburg and Pretoria, had repeatedly been postponed in other parts of the country because of administrative logistics.

Thirteen years after it was first proposed, the Aarto penalty points system had yet to be enforced, largely because of legal wrangling and criticism of the legislation.

According to the newspaper, Johannesburg metro police had been quoted in earlier media reports as saying it had no budget to send notices by registered mail.

The proposed amendments suggested that the government was trying to change the original law precisely to enable e-mail notifications of fines.

Members of the public could e-mail their comments, before March 21, to John Makgatho on Makgathj@dot.gov.za or Ngwako Thoka on Thokan@dot.gov.za.