Up until now fines were enforced under the CPA (Criminal Procedure Act). If you were issued with a fine you could pay it thereby admitting guilt. If not it was up to the courts to summon you and find you guilty. This was a burdensome system and the courts simply did not have the capacity to enforce these. The public largely ignored fines and less than 20% were paid. It was up to each province to enforce it's own fines. It was hard for one province to enforce a fine for a person residing in another province. The system all but collapsed and driving habits show this. SA has some of the worst accident and road death statistics in the world.
Under the Old Fines System the onus was on the CPA (courts) to enforce fines.
AARTO turned this system "on it's head". Fines are now termed Offences or Infringements and Enforced by AARTO at a national level.
This is a powerful system and we would do well to understand it and how it will affect us.
Under AARTO the onus now falls on the vehicle owner to "show" why the fine should not be enforced.
You can either pay the fine or nominate a driver, if you were not the driver at the time of the offence. You can also make representation to AARTO if you feel the fine is not valid and should not be enforced.
If you do nothing the fine can (and probably will be) changed to an Enforcement order and placed on your drivers licence number or vehicle licence number (if biz car) on eNatis. Once Enforced you will not be able to receive licence discs for your vehicle/s until you pay the fine.
You really have no choice but to pay fines.