The Organisation Undoing Tax Abuse (Outa) has announced that it has initiated an urgent application to the High Court to put the implementation of the Administrative Adjudication of Road Traffic Offences (Aarto) second phase on hold. Outa believes that government is bringing the amended legislation into force although it has not yet set up the legal safeguards that motorists have the right to have. In the application, the organisation is asking the Court to pause Aarto Phase 2 until government complies with its constitutional and legal obligations.
“Every South African benefits from safer roads and effective traffic law enforcement,” affirmed Outa Executive Director for Accountability Advocate Stefanie Fick. “Outa has never opposed measures that improve road safety or hold reckless drivers accountable. What we cannot accept is government enforcing a new legal regime before putting the protections promised by that very system in place. Government expects motorists to comply with the law. It must be prepared to meet the same standard.”
The provisions of the amended Aarto Act were brought into effect by Presidential proclamation on June 29, and the 2026 Aarto regulations were published the next day. They cover 62 municipalities. The problem is that key safeguards are missing, major questions regarding implementation are still unanswered and regulations have been introduced without any meaningful public participation.
