South Africa’s outdated traffic fine system is back under scrutiny after municipalities were forced to write off billions of rands in unpaid penalties.
Now, lawmakers are calling for major legal changes that could see traffic fines issued and collected electronically instead of relying on paper notices delivered through the post office.
Billions in traffic fines written off
The issue gained attention after the cities of Ekurhuleni and Tshwane reportedly wrote off a combined R3.33 billion in unpaid traffic fines deemed unrecoverable.
Several factors are believed to have contributed to the massive losses, including expired fines, missed court deadlines and delays in converting infringements into enforceable orders.
The situation has raised serious concerns about whether South Africa’s current traffic fine system is still workable.
Songezo Zibi, chair of Parliament’s Standing Committee on Public Accounts, said the country’s heavy dependence on paper notices was creating major problems.
Speaking to 702, Zibi said the current process depends largely on the South African Post Office successfully delivering registered mail to motorists.
“The Post Office no longer functions well,” Zibi said, adding that many motorists may never actually receive their notices.
A push for SMS and online payment systems
Under the Administrative Adjudication of Road Traffic Offences (AARTO) Act, traffic fines must generally be delivered through registered mail unless motorists specifically opt into electronic communication.
Zibi argued that this requirement creates a loophole when notices fail to reach drivers. If motorists claim they never received a fine, municipalities often struggle to enforce payment later on.
Zibi suggested South Africa should move toward a fully digital process that allows motorists to receive notices electronically and pay fines online immediately.
He said SMS notifications should be legally recognised as sufficient proof that a driver has been informed about an infringement.
He also proposed electronic payment systems through websites or mobile apps to simplify collections.
