Amid inefficiencies with the current National Traffic Information System NaTIS, the planned roll-out of the Administrative Adjudication of Road Traffic Offences AARTO in December is set to further complicate the issuing of fines for car-rental companies.
The Department of Transport announced that it would phase in AARTO, from December 1, starting with 69 municipalities in cities, including Cape Town, Durban and Johannesburg.
Sandile Ntseoane , GM of Southern African Vehicle Rental Leasing Association Savrala, told Travel News that the car-rental industry already faced challenges assigning fines to their clients under NaTIS.
Traffic fines are often issued via camera enforcement, relying on NaTIS, which Savrala notes is only about 30 accurate, says Ntseoane. Many fines are sent to incorrect addresses or outdated vehicle owner records, resulting in returned mail and administrative waste.
He explains that when fines arrive at car-rental companies, they are typically linked to the vehicle registration and not the driver. The car-rental companies then have to redirect the fine to the renter and charge them an administration fee.