Motorists using Sanral tags have been advised to top up before travelling.
National roads and toll gates will see a lot of traffic this festive season with many people travelling from province to province.
Motorists planning festive season travel should brace for heavy traffic on specific dates in December and January.
Busiest travel times
Bakwena Platinum Corridor Concessionaire has identified peak periods when congestion is expected to be at its peak along the N1 and N4 routes.
The concession pinpointed nine days when traffic volumes will surge significantly.
In December , the busiest travel times are expected on the 12th, 15th, 19th, 24th and 31st between 12pm and 9pm.
Additionally,motorists should expect heavy traffic on the 13th and 20th between 6am and 3pm.
Welcoming the New Year and people getting back to work, January will see heavy traffic on the 4th and 11th between 12pm and 9pm.
“With traffic volumes expected to rise sharply, Bakwena encourages all road users to plan ahead,” Bakwena said.
This is to ensure smoother and more efficient travel during the holiday season.
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New contactless payment system at toll plazas
To facilitate faster transactions during the busy period, Bakwena has introduced a contactless payment system across the entire N1 and N4 route.
Introduced in September 2025, motorists passing through here no longer have to use the offline card system.
The new system facilitates immediate bank verification and includes debit card payments.
Motorists can pay using:
- Tap-enabled debit and credit cards;
- Smartphones and wearables through Apple Pay, Samsung Pay and Google Wallet; and
- Sanral tags.
Bakwena no longer accepts a magstripe swipe payment with the exception of fleet, garage or petrol cards.
Enhanced safety measures and operational readiness
Bakwena said it implemented comprehensive safety measures to manage the expected surge in traffic.
All toll plaza lanes will be fully staffed during peak travel times, with lane optimisation adjusted to support the direction of highest traffic flow.
In collaboration with partners including Motus, Renault South Africa and law enforcement agencies, the concessionaire has deployed additional patrol vehicles for round-the-clock surveillance to enable quicker incident response and improved traffic flow.
Law enforcement will conduct “roadblocks and targeted safety operations focusing on vehicle roadworthiness, overloading, licensing compliance and alcohol checks”.
Furthermore, from Saturday, 13 December 2025 to mid-January 2026, no construction work or lane closures will take place on the N1 and N4 routes.
This is to “maintain smooth traffic flow during the peak holiday period” according to Bakwena.
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Tag services and preparation tips
Motorists using Sanral tags have been advised to top up before travelling.
Tag services are available at:
- N1 Total Panorama Petroport;
- Total Waverley in Kilnerpark;
- Bakwena Hatfield tag office in Pretoria;
- N4 Total Magalies Petroport;
- N4 Shell Ultra City East;
- N4 Shell Platinum in Rustenburg;
- Swartruggens;
- Sanral Customer Service Centres; and
- through EFT and the Sanral app.
Solomon Kganyago, Bakwena’s chief operating officer, emphasised the importance of preparation and patience during the festive season.
“Plan your route and time your travel to avoid the peak hours,” Kganyago said.
He added that motorists should “ensure your vehicle is roadworthy” and “stick to the speed limit and be patient”.
Kganyago further advised travellers to stop and rest every two hours or 200 kilometres to prevent fatigue.
“Ensure that your debit and credit cards are tap-enabled and have the required funds available,” he added.
He also advised that tag users should verify that their devices are adequately funded for their trips.
Toll plaza and emergency guidance
At toll plazas, Kganyago recommended that motorists choose the correct payment lane early, have their payment method ready and maintain a safe following distance.
“If a transaction fails, stay calm. Never rush and always carry a backup payment option (cash or card),” he said.
Bakwena operates a round-the-clock customer care and emergency line at 0800 Bakwena (0800 225 9362).
Motorists requiring assistance are advised to use the nearest blue kilometre marker boards to confirm their exact location when requesting help.
Real-time route information is available through Bakwena’s X account @bakwenan1n4.
Bakwena said it is committed to eliminating fatalities on the N1-N4 route.
“We urge all motorists to obey the rules of the road, stay alert and travel safely.
“From the entire Bakwena team, we wish you a safe and pleasant holiday journey.”
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