The South African National Road Agency (Sanral) will be implementing the 2020 national roads toll tariff adjustments from 1 March 2020.
Image: Creative Commons
The annual adjustments are calculated in line with the Consumer Price Index (CPI) as obtained from Statistics South Africa. The CPI percentage that was applied to determine the 1 March 2020 tariff adjustment is 4,31%, and was approved by Minister of Transport Fikile Mbalula.
‘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.
The annual toll tariff increases also apply to e-toll tariffs, much to the chagrin of Gauteng motorists whose e-tolls are meant to benefit the Gauteng Freeway Improvement Project (GFIP, responsible for maintaining sections of the N1, N2, N4 and N12 as well as sections of the R21. Despite the fact that Sanral had to scrap billion-rand debts of unpaid e-tolls last year, the Department of Transport, which was looking into motorists’ demands to do away with e-tolls, has yet to make a decision as to its future.
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.
Through Sanral, the Department of Transport uses tolling to implement major road infrastructure projects to ensure that the road network is extended and well-maintained. Toll roads account for 13% of the 22,214-kilometre road network.
The adjustments were gazetted on 7 February (Government Gazette #43002).
