New N1 toll at Beitbridge moves closer. Who pays and what's next
SANRAL's plan to toll 1.1km of the N1 at the Beitbridge border post is now with its board, Transport Minister Barbara Creecy says. It targets traffic entering from Zimbabwe. No tariff has been published.
The only new toll road SANRAL is currently considering is a 1.1km stretch of the N1 at the Beitbridge border post with Zimbabwe. Transport Minister Barbara Creecy confirmed this in a written parliamentary reply published on 22 October 2026, and said the plan now sits with SANRAL's board.
Which part of the N1 would be tolled?
It is N1 Section 29X, running from the entry point of the South African side of the Beitbridge border post to the international border with Zimbabwe, in the Musina Local Municipality in Limpopo. The gazetted notice says the area includes various roads, parking areas and buildings inside the border post.
No other national road is on the list. Creecy said SANRAL did not submit any request to declare a toll road in the 2025/26 financial year, according to her reply.
Who would pay the toll?
The notice is aimed at southbound traffic, meaning vehicles entering South Africa from Zimbabwe. It says the toll for that traffic is currently collected by Zimbabwean authorities on their side of the border, and SANRAL intends to collect it on the South African side instead.
SANRAL says the toll could be collected inside the border post area or at another spot better suited to border activities and the payment method. That location has not been announced.
How much will it cost?
No amount has been published. Neither the August 2025 notice nor the minister's reply gives a toll tariff.
Where does the process stand?
- 15 August 2025: SANRAL's notice of intent to toll was published in Government Gazette 53178 (notice).
- 19 September 2025: Public comment closed (notice).
- October 2026: Consultations are done and a consultation report has gone to the SANRAL board for review (reply).
Under the notice, SANRAL would then recommend the declaration to the Minister of Transport, who decides whether the section becomes a toll road. The public comment window has already closed, so there is no open submission process right now.
Why are people worried about it?
When the plan was first gazetted, the Transit Assistance Bureau warned it could cause a public outcry, especially among local residents who work at the border, Freight News reported.
Beitbridge is South Africa's main road crossing into Zimbabwe, used by trucks, buses and cross-border shoppers. The N1 already has several toll plazas further south, including Huguenot, Vaal, Carousel, Kranskop and Capricorn, as Newsday noted.
FAQ
Is a new toll road coming on the N1?
SANRAL is considering tolling a 1.1km section of the N1 at the Beitbridge border post in Limpopo. The consultation report is with the SANRAL board, and the transport minister must still approve any declaration.
Who will pay the Beitbridge toll?
The gazetted notice targets southbound traffic entering South Africa from Zimbabwe. That toll is currently collected by Zimbabwean authorities and SANRAL wants to collect it on the South African side.
How much will the Beitbridge toll cost?
No tariff has been published in the gazette notice or the minister's parliamentary reply.
Can I still comment on the Beitbridge toll plan?
No. Public comment closed on 19 September 2025.
Are any other new toll roads planned?
Not according to Transport Minister Barbara Creecy. Her October 2026 reply lists only the Beitbridge section and says SANRAL submitted no toll declaration requests in 2025/26.