Johannesburg - No date has yet been set for the traffic offences demerit system, the Road Traffic Infringement Agency (RTIA) said on Tuesday.
The announcement on the Administrative Adjudication of Road Traffic Offences (Aarto) system would be made by the transport minister at her prerogative, said RTIA spokesman Fakazi Malindzisa.
The Automobile Association said in a statement that Aarto did not target the occasional violator, but the habitual one. Repeat violators would have their licences suspended once they lost more than 12 points.
Those who persisted in offending risked having their licences cancelled and being forced to re-take the driving test.
The AA had received numerous enquiries about the points demerit system.
“As matters currently stand, we have not received any notification from the department of transport that the system is scheduled for implementation in the near future.”
It would still take some time for issues surrounding Aarto to be resolved to the point where its nationwide implementation was feasible.
The AA said points acquired by committing traffic violations expired at the rate of one every three months.
“So if you do get the odd minor fine, it's unlikely to tip you over the 12-point limit which would cost your licence.
“But if you frequently commit serious infringements, like driving through red traffic lights or crossing barrier lines, you will find yourself exceeding the 12-point limit in no time at all.”
Cautious drivers had nothing to fear.
“The AA's view is that the sooner points demerit is implemented, the better. It's time habitual lawbreakers on our roads were shown the door.”
Sapa