Aarto changes how SA pays traffic fines while scammers score

South Africa’s new era of road compliance, led by the Administrative Adjudication of Road Traffic Offences (Aarto) Act, is set to reshape how drivers manage fines. But as rollout nears, the added compliance demands have sparked not only a booming market for legitimate fintech platforms — they’ve also paved the way for a surge in sophisticated “ghost fine” scams.

The Road Traffic Infringement Agency (RTIA) will begin a phased rollout on 1 December 2025 across 69 jurisdictions. The process shifts the administrative and legal burden of traffic fines off the court roll and culminates in the points-to-demerit system on 1 September 2026 — what RTIA spokesperson Monde Mkalipi calls “the actual backbone of Aarto”.

Read more: Second phase of Aarto traffic offences Act will kick in on 1 December

“The points-to-demerit system is designed to reward good driving,” Mkalipi explains. Motorists start from zero and accumulate points based on the severity of their infringements. At 15 points, a licence suspension is triggered. The system also includes a driver rehabilitation programme, meaning “nobody’s driving licence is going to be taken away for good”.

The debate around Aarto

While the RTIA presents Aarto as a streamlined, safety-focused system, critics have long flagged risks. The Organisation Undoing Tax Abuse (Outa) has challenged the Act’s constitutionality, arguing that revenue generation, not road safety, is its primary aim. Operational issues, including a polluted eNatis database, have already caused fines to be wrongly issued in pilot phases. Advocate Stefanie Fick of Outa has publicly warned that the Appeals Tribunal under Aarto is not yet fully operational, raising the risk of administrative backlogs that could force motorists to pay fines they do not owe and create opportunities for corruption.

The fintech answer

South Africa’s historically fragmented municipal fine system has made digital fine-payment platforms essential. Platforms like Fines SA bridge the gap between complex regulations and motorists’ need for certainty.

Fines SA CEO Barry Berman notes a direct link between Aarto’s roll-out and rising demand:  “We’ve seen sign-ups explode. Motorists and fleets seem keen to get ahead and not get caught out.”

The company’s model hinges on convenience and trust. Fines SA remains free for fines under the Criminal Procedure Act (CPA), while it charges a convenience fee for fines governed by Aarto. This fee covers technical processing and secure payment handling, even when motorists are eligible for the 50% early-payment discount mandated under Aarto. Berman adds that the platform’s credibility lies in its technical integration. “Our APIs talk directly to the systems that run fines across all of SA in real time.”

Other players, including PayCity and PayMyFines, operate in this space. PayCity was contacted, but had not responded by publication time. Broadly, the market is monetised through convenience fees, early-payment commissions or business-to-business subscriptions. Rival platforms sometimes dispute one another’s claims, highlighting the competitive and sometimes confusing nature of the sector.

The scammer’s new playbook

Confusion over Aarto has also created opportunities for criminals. Cybersecurity expert Anna Collard, of KnowBe4 Africa, says scammers are exploiting South Africans’ growing comfort with digital messages from service providers.

“When new systems like Aarto are introduced,” Collard explains, “it creates confusion — and confusion is a scammer’s best friend.”

“Ghost fine” scams prey on fear, sending messages claiming an outstanding fine via fake SMSes or cloned websites. Generative AI allows fraudsters to personalise notifications and make fake sites look legitimate. Many combine real and fabricated data — for example, pairing your actual vehicle registration with a fraudulent payment link — creating highly convincing scams.

Protecting your licence and your wallet

Both the RTIA and cybersecurity experts stress verification. Mkalipi advises drivers to “double-check every email” and ignore sudden payment demands, especially those arriving at “awkward times,” such as late Friday afternoons or Sundays. He recommends registering on the official Aarto mobile app or website to confirm approved payment platforms.

Berman adds that payment via a secure, encrypted gateway ensures the money goes to the right recipient.

Collard notes that systemic protections — secure communication channels, mandatory digital certificates and state oversight — are ultimately the responsibility of the government, not just individual motorists.

Finally, Mkalipi reminds motorists of their four elective Aarto options: the right to a 50% discount if paid within 32 days, the right to dispute a fine, the right to nominate the driver and the right to request payment in instalments. There is also a “degree of grace” around speed limits, where authorities have the discretion to exercise tolerance of around 10km/h, which is intended to account for different speedometer calibrations.

Note: You can check which fines are listed against your name on the official Aarto website. DM