South Africa introduces leniency for speeding fines
South African drivers will benefit from new leniency under the Aarto laws — here’s how it affects speeding fines.
South African drivers can relax slightly: the new Aarto driving laws will allow some leniency on speed limits.
Motorists will face fines only if they exceed the speed limit by more than 10 km/h.
The tolerance accounts for minor speedometer errors and helps prevent the courts from being clogged with trivial cases.
Speeding fines and how they will work
Under Aarto, speeding fines will only kick in once you’re driving 11km/h or more over the limit. The penalty system is structured in brackets, as follows:
- 11–15km/h over: R250 fine
- 16–20km/h over: R500 fine
- 21–25km/h over: R750 fine
- 36–40km/h over: R1,500 fine
- More than 40km/h over: Arrest and a court date
It’s important to note that the 10 km/h grace for speeding fines does not apply to average speed-over-distance traps, where every kilometre counts.
Authorities will introduce the demerit point system, which can lead to licence suspension for repeat offenders, in September 2026. Until then, fines will remain the primary enforcement tool.