Motorists will have to start paying toll fees again at the Uthongathi and Umvoti toll plazas from next week Saturday (April 1).

Announcing the reintroduction of toll fees, the South African National Roads Agency (Sanral) said the Uthongathi N2 northern ramps will, however, remain exempted until access across the M4 Tongaat River bridge has been fully restored.

This will ensure that residents affected by the M4 closure can continue to use the N2 at no cost.

Toll fees at the two toll plazas were suspended after last April’s floods which damaged the Tongaat and Umhlali river bridges.

Attempts by Sanral to reintroduce toll fees in January were put on hold after a huge outcry from the public and business sector.

“Access to the R102 has been fully restored while the M4 is open, except at the Tongaat River bridge,” said Sanral’s’s eastern regional manager Dumisani Nkabinde.

“Sanral’s contribution to the people of KZN by not charging at these two toll plazas has been between R400- and R500m to date. We need to start collecting toll fees to be able to maintain national roads.”