Resident tests SANRAL detour, rejects alternative
As community frustration grows, SANRAL faces mounting pressure to engage more meaningfully with residents and provide transparent answers, not only about finances but also about safety and fairness on Pretoria’s toll routes.
A Pretoria North resident has stepped up on behalf of a growing group of commuters who regularly use toll roads in the city’s northern suburbs and the Moot. These residents, many of whom rely daily on the Stormvoël, Zambezi, and Doornpoort toll gates, are calling on SANRAL to reconsider the high toll costs, which can reach up to R1 500 per household per month.
On April 11, the resident joined SANRAL on an alternative route journey, highlighting the group’s dissatisfaction and the impracticality of proposed detours.
The group argues that while they are among the only communities in Pretoria that must use toll roads daily, residents from areas like Atterbury, Lynnwood, and Botha Avenue use the same road network on the highways without the additional cost.
Lydia Raath, a member of the activist group, said this creates an unfair financial burden on residents.
“Often, more than one person per household travels through the toll gates daily. We’re proposing a capped fee per household per month or nothing at all,” she said.
Raath emphasised that the tolls serve no real benefit to their community at this high cost.
“If toll fees went toward visible safety improvements or regular patrols, we might feel differently. But instead, these gates increase our costs, cause congestion, and don’t make us feel any safer.”
Frustration deepened after SANRAL advised residents to consider alternative routes.
In response, community members invited SANRAL representatives to experience the alternatives firsthand.
SANRAL’s proposed detours include:
– Moloto Road, rejoining the highway at Stormvoël;
– Routes via Hardy Muller Circle and Colbyn or Stead Avenue, connecting to the N4; and
– Crossing the Magaliesberg via Steve Biko Road to access the R21 or N1.
The group insists these routes are neither safe nor efficient and that SANRAL’s suggestions fail to consider real commuting conditions.
To demonstrate the flaws of these options, one resident documented a 17km trip from Montana Park to Menlyn Maine. This is normally a 17-20 minute drive using toll roads. Without them, it took more than double that time, with significantly higher fuel usage. She live-located the journey and alerted her Community Policing Forum due to her crime concerns and driving alone on unfamiliar roads.
Gert Botha of SANRAL followed her on the route.
“This is not a viable alternative. I hope he saw that and will communicate it to the authorities,” she said. “But I am not holding my breath.”
SANRAL spokesperson Lwando Mahlasela told Rekord that a community meeting is proposed for April 23 and that an action plan is being developed.
However, he reiterated SANRAL’s stance: “The highway is not primarily intended for access to residential areas. Developers are drawn to areas near highways for accessibility, and property values rise accordingly. The responsibility for residential access lies with the metro.”
He added that despite economic pressures, toll roads remain a “viable alternative service” operating under the “user-pay” principle.
Addressing concerns over inconsistent toll fees, Mahlasela explained that the higher Class 1 tariff at Doornpoort is due to it covering a longer stretch of the highway.
On the issue of safety, he confirmed that SANRAL and concessionaire Bakwena are working with law enforcement through the Road Incident Management System to improve road security. Spikes placed on roads by criminals remain a serious concern.
Mahlasela encouraged motorists to use SANRAL tags rather than cards.
He said a new contactless online payment method, similar to those used in retail, is expected to launch later in 2025.
While Bakwena patrols the route, Mahlasela noted that the company does not have law enforcement authority.
“They assist with clearing debris and helping stranded motorists, but cannot arrest or issue fines,” he said.
He mentioned that a February 2025 directive from the Provincial Crime Combatting Forum has since enabled more visible policing on toll routes around Gauteng.
Addressing the group’s concerns on how the toll gates are run, he said The N4 Platinum Highway (which includes the three toll gates in question) is operated under a Public-Private Partnership between SANRAL and Bakwena.
These agreements allow large infrastructure projects to proceed without full government funding.
“Revenue from toll fees funds loan repayments to investors, operations, maintenance, and infrastructure improvements,” Mahlasela said.
However, he declined to confirm whether the N4 Platinum is SANRAL’s most profitable concession or how much revenue the Zambezi, Doornpoort, and Stormvoël toll gates generate.
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