The Minister of Transport, Fikile Mbalula, approved the 2020 toll tariffs as recommended by the South African National Roads Agency SOC Ltd (SANRAL). The adjustments were gazetted on 7 February 2020.
The adjustments are made on an annual basis in line with the Consumer Price Index (CPI) as obtained from Statistics South Africa (StatsSA). The CPI percentage that was applied to determine the 1 March 2020 tariff adjustment is 4,31%.
“We use the inflation rate as a guide so that the toll tariffs remain the same in real terms, meaning there is effectively no increase to the rate from when the initial toll tariff was implemented” explained Vusi Mona, General Manager Communications at SANRAL.
Discounts offered at specific toll plazas for frequent users, as well as qualifying local users, still apply. Applications for discounts can be made at the toll plaza offices.
The Department of Transport, through its agency the South African National Roads Agency (SANRAL), uses tolling selectively to implement major road infrastructure projects to ensure that the road network is extended and well-maintained. Only 13% of the 22 214km network is made up of toll roads.
Toll roads allow for the borrowing of capital in order to develop road infrastructure when required, rather than having to wait until funds become available from a strained fiscus. Toll fees are applied to maintain, operate and improve toll roads, as well as to service debt incurred to implement a toll road project. The cost in the event of delayed maintenance on roads can be up to 18 times higher than it would have been if routine preventative maintenance was undertaken.
Toll is a user charge and is paid only by those that make use of the road.
For details on the applicable tariffs, please refer to the Government Gazette number 43002, published on Friday 07 Feb 2020.