Cape Town - The South African Demerit System is finally set to be implemented in 2016.
The system was signed into law almost 20 years ago in 1998 as part of the Administrative Adjudication of Road Traffic Offences (AARTO) Act, Act 46 of 1998.
The proposed system has been delayed for several years pending, amongst other reasons, a feasibility study and an assessment of technological requirements, law enforcement criteria and an analysis of human resources needed to ensure the successful implementation of the system.
READ: SA driver Demerit System: All you need to know
The system is set to be implemented in South Africa from April 2016. It could lead to repeat road offenders having their driving licences suspended or even cancelled.
Users respond
We asked users to share their thoughts on the new SA road user Demerit System and a homepage vote garnered more than 21 000 votes.
The new SA road user Demerit System is:
A great way to curb SA road deaths - 439 votes
A good way to change bad road behaviour - 2036 votes
Another way of draining tax payers - 3224 votes
A waste of time. Won't change SA road behaviour - 4583 votes
Pointless. Too many corrupt traffic officials - 11673 votes
'A waste of time'
Unsurprisingly, only 439 users (2%) believe, if implemented, the demerit system would curb road deaths. The News24 poll revealed that 2036 users (9%) believe the system will change bad road behaviour and 3224 users (15%) think it's another income-generating scheme by the government.
About 21% of respondents (4538 votes) said the system is 'a waste of time' while the majority (11 673 or 53%) think it's completely pointless as there are 'too many corrupt traffic officials' to make system viable in SA.