The South African National Roads Agency (Sanral) has confirmed that annual toll tariffs will rise by 3.12%, slightly lower than last year’s 4.85% increase.

The hike follows the Consumer Price Index (CPI) as reported by Statistics South Africa.

Sanral says the revenue is essential for improving toll roads, covering operational costs, and servicing debt for toll road projects.

Sanral general manager for communications and marketing, Vusi Mona, said: “The funds go a long way towards ensuring that SANRAL fulfils its mandate of delivering quality road infrastructure that adds value to the lives of South African citizens.”

He added: “Key economic infrastructure, such as the national road network, is a precondition for providing basic services such as electricity, water, sanitation, telecommunications, and public transport. This road network therefore needs to meet industrial, commercial, and household needs.”

Mona noted: “Sanral is empathetic to the South African public, considering the current state of the economy.

However, it is equally important to introduce the adjustments to ensure that the agency continues to deliver safe and quality roads to the benefit of all road users.”

In South Africa, tolls are used for maintenance and improvement of the road network. Tax money is used for the maintenance of 81% of the road network, the remaining 19% of South Africa’s roads are toll roads. These are in particular the highways between the larger cities.

Toll roads are highways or freeway sections that require motorists to pay a fee for usage. These fees (also known as toll fees) are used to fund the maintenance, operation and upgrading of key national routes

Image: Getty.