Pretoria - Transport Minister Sibusiso Ndebele has welcomed support from the Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu) for the implementation of the demerit points system for drivers, AARTO.
"We welcome the stand taken by Cosatu on AARTO. The department has long been engaging and will continue to engage with all stakeholders regarding the implementation of AARTO.
"As government, we welcome partnerships with various formations including organised labour, business, the religious community and civil society to end the carnage on our roads," said Ndebele.
During its recent Central Executive Committee (CEC) meeting, the largest trade union in the country indicated its full support for the Administrative Adjudication of Road Traffic Offences (AARTO).
"COSATU supports measures that will end the carnage on our roads by punishing offenders and ending the culture of impunity. Workers should, however, not be punished for the non-roadworthiness of the vehicles that do not belong to them," said the union.
A fortnight ago, members of the Gauteng South African Transport and Allied Workers Union (SATAWU) marched to the Union Buildings to protest against the implementation of AARTO.
SATAWU appealed for support for their campaign against AARTO, especially its impact on truck, bus and taxi drivers who face the possibility of losing their licences and therefore their jobs under the provisions of the demerit system.
Cosatu said the system must punish owners and not workers.
"Many employers impose time limits for journeys, which can only be met by speeding. The CEC expressed support for SATAWU but decided to unpack the provisions of the new act, some of which seek to crack down on speeding and the use of unroadworthy vehicles, and streamline the collection of fines, which aims to reduce the number of accidents and save lives.
"[We] welcome the postponement of the implementation of AARTO until all legitimate concerns have been addressed," said Cosatu.
Under AARTO, all drivers start off with 12 points. Points are lost due to misconduct on the road and depending on the severity of the offence. Drivers can end up losing their licences. Points can be gained back by good behaviour.
