​By King Mthombeni
The Road Traffic Infringement Agency (RTIA) partnered with
Johannesburg Metropolitan Police Department (JMPD) to showcase its AARTO
service outlets at the Randburg Driving Licensing and Testing Centre on
Tuesday, 20 0ctober 2020. The event forms part of the RTIA’s October Transport Month
programme.
The Agency is mandated to roll-out of the Administrative
Adjudication of Road Traffic Offences Act (AARTO) throughout the country. 
The service outlets form part of the Agency’s preparation
for the imminent AARTO National Rollout. They serve as service outlets to conduct
a structured AARTO public education and community awareness programme. Road
users are informed of the benefits of the AARTO process to be implemented in July
2021.
To this end, RTIA has undertaken activations and events
aimed at raising awareness and education of the South African motorists and
primary stakeholders regarding the introduction of the demerit system.
Section 4(5)(a) of the Administration Adjudication of Road
Traffic Offences Act (AARTO) requires that the Agency performs its function of
disseminating information regarding the role and functions of the agency as
well as the rights enjoyed by individuals in terms of AARTO Act.
These outlets provide the following services:
•             Attending
to motorists’ queries on infringement notices;
•             Administering
AARTO elective options; and
•             Education
and public awareness on the benefits of the AARTO Act.
The partnership between RTIA and JMPD sought to create an
informed and compliant road user community for safer use of public roads.
According to Agency’s CEO, Mr Japh Chuwe “the AARTO service outlets
initiative will contribute towards the creation of branch outlets for instant,
sustainable and visible provision of the RTIA service offering throughout the
country”.
Expressing support for the project, JMPD’s spokesperson Mr
Wayne Minnaar indicated that “as the JMPD we are already implementing AARTO and
a number of success areas have been recorded. Ever since AARTO came into
existence there has been notable improvements in terms of compliance with
traffic laws in the Johannesburg Metropolitan area.”
He added that “the JMPD regards dissemination of information
to motorists as being critical and it helps to have informed road users in
order to have safer communities. The rollout of the AARTO service outlets will
serve as convenient access points for information on road safety in general,
and how road users can exercise the AARTO elective options”.
The agency calls upon motorists to take advantage of the service
outlets, manned by professional and well-trained operators who will attend to and
resolve various AARTO-related inquiries. However, there are no cash payments facilities
at these outlets, however, all information on where payments can be made is
available.