Based on an opinion article by Gavin Kelly, CEO of the Road Freight Association (RFA), edited for Cold Link Africa
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South Africa’s refrigerated transport sector depends on high vehicle utilisation, predictable maintenance schedules and carefully planned fleet replacement programmes.
According to Road Freight Association CEO Gavin Kelly, one aspect of the Administrative Adjudication of Road Traffic Offences (AARTO) could undermine that operational certainty: the allocation of demerit points to vehicles.
In an opinion article, Kelly argues that while unsafe drivers should face appropriate penalties, vehicles themselves should not accumulate demerit points.
He maintains that road safety should instead focus on ensuring vehicles are roadworthy. If defects are identified, they should be repaired before the vehicle returns to service – a process already supported by existing road traffic legislation.
For cold chain operators, the concern extends beyond compliance.
Temperature-controlled fleets represent significant capital investment and are typically replaced on carefully planned cycles. Kelly argues that attaching demerit histories to vehicles could reduce resale values, complicate vehicle sales and delay fleet renewal programmes.
These challenges could affect transport operators, leasing companies and rental fleets, while also influencing the broader market for commercial vehicles.
The RFA also points to the administrative complexity surrounding representations against infringements. If representations are unsuccessful, operators lose available payment discounts and become liable for the full penalties and associated fees.
More significantly, exceeding the allowable number of demerit points can result in the suspension or cancellation of a vehicle’s operator card. Kelly notes that provisions within the National Road Traffic Act could also prevent a replacement operator card from being issued while a suspension remains in effect.
For businesses transporting chilled, frozen and pharmaceutical products, losing access to specialised refrigerated vehicles – even temporarily – can reduce fleet capacity during peak demand periods and increase pressure on delivery schedules.
Kelly further questions whether AARTO’s broader demerit-point system will significantly improve driver behaviour. He notes that countries where similar systems have delivered positive results generally have well-developed public transport networks that provide alternatives for suspended drivers.
The RFA continues to support stronger road safety initiatives but argues that enforcement should focus on the relatively small number of behaviours that contribute most directly to serious crashes and fatalities.
For South Africa’s cold chain, the debate is therefore not only about road safety, but also about ensuring that regulation improves compliance without creating avoidable disruptions to temperature-controlled logistics.