New toll tariffs on South Africa’s national roads will take effect from March 1.

In a statement, the SA National Roads Agency Limited (Sanral) announced that toll tariffs would increase by 5% on March 1, which the road agency said was in line with the consumer price index (CPI).

Transport minister Fikile Mbalula approved the 2021 toll tariffs as recommended by the roads agency, and they were gazetted on February 11.

“The adjustments are adjusted annually in line with the consumer price index (CPI) as obtained from Statistics South Africa (Stats SA). 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,” said Vusi Mona, Sanral’s general manager for communications.

Discounts

Discounts offered at specific toll plazas for frequent users as well as qualifying local users were still applicable.

Through Sanral, the Department of Transport uses tolling selectively to implement major road infrastructure projects and ensure seamless mobility of vehicles on the national road network. Only 13% of the 22 253km network constitutes toll roads.

Toll roads allowed for the borrowing of capital to develop road infrastructure when required, rather than having to wait until funds were available from an already strained fiscus. Toll monies were applied to maintain, operate, and improve toll roads as well as to service debt incurred to implement a toll road project.