Price hike on tolls effective from Monday

After initially saying the increase will be 5%, Sanral back-pedaled in saying the new adjusted price hike of 3,39% will take effect on 1 March 2021.

SANRAL’s general manager for communications, Vusi Mona, said in a statement that the toll tariff amounts are adjusted by the annual Consumer Price Index (CPI) inflation rate only as a guide. According to him it remains the same in real terms and are effectively not increased above the base date toll tariff from when the toll was initially implemented. SANRAL also softened the blow by still allowing discounts at specific toll plazas for frequent users, as well as qualifying local users. Applications for the discounts can be made at the various toll plaza offices nationwide.

“Toll roads allow for the borrowing of capital to develop road infrastructure when it is required, rather than having to wait until funds are available from an already strained fiscus,” Mona said in the statement. “Of the 22,253km road network in South Africa, 13% constitutes toll roads and toll monies are applied to maintain, operate and improve toll roads, as well as to service the debt incurred to implement a toll road project.”

To illustrate the effect of the price hike, let’s take a look at two popular routes:

Toll Plaza for N1 Cape Town – Joburg route	Cost for 2021	Cost for 2020	Extra	Total increase
Grasmere	R21.50	R21.00	R0.50	2.4%
Vaal	R71.50	R69.50	R2.00	2.9%
Verkeerdevlei	R61.50	R59.50	R2.00	3.4%
Huguenot	R42.50	R41.50	R1.00	2.4%
Total	R197.00	R191.50	R5.50	2.9%

Source: SANRAL

Toll Plaza for N3 Joburg – Durban route	Cost for 2021	Cost for 2020	Extra	Total increase
De Hoek	R53.00	R51.00	R2.00	3.9%
Wilge	R73.00	R71.00	R2.00	2.8%
Tugela	R78.00	R76.00	R2.00	2.6%
Mooi River	R55.00	R53.00	R2.00	3.8%
Mariannhill	R13.00	R12.50	R0.50	4.0%
Total	R272.00	R263.50	R8.50	3.2%