Drivers are going to have to dig deeper into their pockets to travel on KwaZulu-Natal’s freeways from March 1.
Transport Minister Fikile Mbalula has approved a 3.39% increase in tariffs.
For individuals and businesses, who use the N3 between Pietermaritzburg and Durban on a daily basis, this means they will have to pay R26 for a round trip in a car or bakkie.
Melanie Veness, chief executive officer of the Pietermaritzburg and Midlands Chamber of Business, said the increase would add to the financial burden of many people in the City and wider KZN Midlands at a time when they can least afford it.
“Increases on tolls and fuel drives up transport costs, which affects the pricing of most goods. Everyone feels it,,” she added.
“Even if it is an inflation-related increase, can any increase on transport be justified in this economic context?
“We maintained our 2020 membership prices, because we know how tough it is out there for our members ... we’ve had to cut our coat according to our cloth and so should government agencies.”
In a statement the South African National Roads Agency SOC Limited (Sanral) said the tariffs were adjusted in line with the consumer price index (CPI) inflation rate and, therefore, remained “the same in real terms”.
“For Sanral-operated toll routes, the applicable CPI is calculated as the average of annual CPI increases for the months from November to October each year,” Vusi Mona, general manager for communications said.
“For the calculation of the March 2021 toll tariffs, the average of the November 2019 to October 2020 monthly year-on-year CPI was obtained from Statistics South Africa (Stats SA) and is calculated to be 3.39%.”
Mona added that Sanral would continue to offer discounts for frequent users and qualifying local users at specific toll plazas.
The Department of Transport uses toll fees to undertake major road infrastructure projects on the national road network and to service debt incurred to implement toll road projects.
Toll roads make up 13.3% of the 22 253km Sanral national road network and 5% of the country’s total road network.
New tariffs for the N3
Mooi River main
Class 1 vehicles – R55.
Class 2 vehicles – R134.
Class 3 vehicles - R188.
Class 4 vehicles – R255.
Mooi River ramp (south)
Class 1 vehicles – R38.
Class 2 vehicles – R94.
Class 3 vehicles – R132.
Class 4 vehicles – R178.
Mooi River ramp (north)
Class 1 vehicles – R16.
Class 2 vehicles – R40.
Class 3 vehicles – R56.
Class 4 vehicles – R76.
Treverton ramp
Class 1 vehicles – R16.
Class 2 vehicles – R40.
Class 3 vehicles – R56.
Class 4 vehicles – R76.
Bergville ramp
Class 1 vehicles – R23.
Class 2 vehicles – R27.
Class 3 vehicles – R51.
Class 4 vehicles – R78.
Tugela main
Class 1 vehicles – R78.
Class 2 vehicles – R129.
Class 3 vehicles – R204.
Class 4 vehicles – R282.
Tugela East ramp
Class 1 vehicles – R49.
Class 2 vehicles – R80.
Class 3 vehicles – R119.
Class 4 vehicles – R166.
Mariannhill
Class 1 vehicles – R13.
Class 2 vehicles – R23.
Class 3 vehicles – R29.
Class 4 vehicles – R45.
New tariffs for the N2 South Coast
Izotsha ramp
Class 1 vehicles – R10.
Class 2 vehicles – R18.
Class 3 vehicles – R24.
Class 4 vehicles – R42.
Oribi main
Class 1 vehicles – R32.
Class 2 vehicles – R57.
Class 3 vehicles – R78.
Class 4 vehicles – R127.
Oribi ramp (south)
Class 1 vehicles – R14.50.
Class 2 vehicles – R27.
Class 3 vehicles – R36.
Class 4 vehicles – R57.
Oribi ramp (north)
Class 1 vehicles – R17.50.
Class 2 vehicles – R30.
Class 3 vehicles – R42.
Class 4 vehicles – R79.
Umtentweni ramp
Class 1 vehicles – R13.50.
Class 2 vehicles – R24.
Class 3 vehicles – R33.
Class 4 vehicles – R54.
New tariffs for the N2 North Coast
King Shaka ramp
Class 1 vehicles – R6.50.
Class 2 vehicles – R13.
Class 3 vehicles – R20.
Class 4 vehicles – R27.
oThongathi main
Class 1 vehicles – R12.50.
Class 2 vehicles – R25.
Class 3 vehicles – R33.
Class 4 vehicles – R48.
oThongathi ramp (south)
Class 1 vehicles – R6.
Class 2 vehicles – R13.
Class 3 vehicles – R17.
Class 4 vehicles – R24.
oThongathi ramp (north)
Class 1 vehicles – R6.
Class 2 vehicles – R13.
Class 3 vehicles – R17.
Class 4 vehicles – R24.
