OUTA raises red flags over R1.2bn AARTO outsourcing deal

OUTA is slamming proposals by the Road Traffic Infringement Agency to team up with a private 'turnkey' partner to help roll out the much-delayed AARTO system.

The deal is reportedly worth around R1.2 billion.

The Administrative Adjudication of Road Traffic Offences system aims to remove traffic offences from the courts and handle them administratively, coupled with the introduction of a demerit system.

OUTA CEO Wayne Duvenage says the structure of the proposed tender raises serious concerns about profit-driven traffic fine administration, particularly if incentives are introduced.

“When PPPs come in, we're not opposed to them, we're opposed to them when there's a lack of clarity around how long and how much money is going to be made by these private companies."

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Duvenage questions why this is no longer a government competency, as it has been until now.

"We've seen this movie before, where private companies get involved, tenders are almost set up for private companies to win, and you and I pay the price of that for many years to come."

The Road Traffic Infringement Agency (RTIA) maintains that the arrangement is needed to pay for operations and fund system gaps.

It says payments will not necessarily be linked to the number or value of fines.

"It's those exact operational matters that the RTIA must do; they run the operations," says Duvenage.

He also questions the timing of the tender. This is where the red flags start going up, he says.

"When you are about to launch in December, and then you put it on hold because you're not ready, and then ten days later, suddenly a tender goes out for this billion-plus rand development of a system."

Duvenage says a letter voicing OUTA's concerns was sent to Transport Minister Barbara Creecy.

"We got a very short letter back from Barbara Creecy, not answering the bulk of the letter, saying there were 47 potentially interesting parties. But the bulk of the questions, we haven't had any responses to that."

To listen to Duvenage in conversation with Africa Melane, use the audio player below: