CARD SWIPING AT TOLL GATES NO LONGER AN OPTION

If you were under the impression that you’d still be able to swipe your card at toll gates this festive season, think again.

When passing through toll gates on the N3 toll route from Johannesburg to Durban, the N4 toll route from Pretoria to Komatipoort, and Capman’s Peak, you’ll have to either pay cash or tap your card.

The new rule was implemented on 1 December 2024 with the aim of enhancing security as well as increasing the effectiveness of the payment process at these toll gates.

Recently, toll gates have been identified as fraud hotspots. This has resulted in banks aiming to roll out contactless payments at these plazas.

Although only the above-mentioned toll gates are now affected, the South African National Roads Agency (SANRAL) plans to eventually eliminate magnetic stripe/swiping payment methods across all toll gates in South Africa. The deadline for this is July 2026.

Authorities have asked people to be patient when they arrive at a toll gate and there are delays due to the new payment process.

Image credit: Global Infrastructure Hub