Sanral denies it is lowering speed limits

The SA National Roads Agency (Sanral) denies it is in the process of reducing speed limits on the country’s roads and says it does not have the power to do so.

It was reacting to a communique being circulated, purporting to be from Sanral, that it is revising speed limits and enforcing stricter laws to reduce fatalities on the roads.

“Sanral has a distinct mandate to manage the country’s national road network. This mandate encompasses the financing, planning, development, improvement, maintenance and rehabilitation of the national roads, as prescribed by the Sanral Act. The mandate does not include any enforcement rights, be that related to speed, safety or security,” said Vusi Mona, Sanral’s communication and marketing general manager.

The false communique  claims that, effective from July 1, Sanral Highway Law would implement adjusted limits across the national highway system. This would include:

• Urban roads reduced from 60km/h to 50km/h;
• Rural roads adjusted from 100km/h to 80km/h;
• Highways and national routes capped at 110km/h, down from 120km/h;
• Heavy vehicles limited to 90km/h on all roads, and;
• School zones to have a strict 30km/h speed limit during school hours.

“We encourage members of the public to contact Sanral’s hotline number on 0800 204 508 or email sanral@tip-offs.co.za if they pick up suspicious information being circulated,” said Mona.

In 2022 the Road Traffic Management Corporation (RTMC) called for speed limits on roads to drop by 10km/h, believing it would help combat fatalities. As part of recommendations to parliament’s portfolio committee on transport, the RTMC called for the speed limit on urban roads to be decreased from 60km/h to 50km/h, and on freeways from 120km/h to 110km/h. Government has not implemented the RTMC's recommendation.