Pretoria, 22 May 2025. Bakwena acknowledges and appreciates the concerns raised by residents of Pretoria North and surrounding areas regarding toll costs, access and the impact on daily travel.

“Together with SANRAL, we are committed to engaging meaningfully with the community to seek workable and sustainable solutions,” says Simon Everitt, CEO of Bakwena.

On 22 May, a high-level meeting took place addressing four key agenda items:

1. Mandate to negotiate: The meeting committed to a workshop to document and address concerns conclusively. Freddie Pienaar, who is now mandated to speak on behalf of the concerned residents and is a ward councillor, would constitute workshop participants who would meet with the representatives from Bakwena and SANRAL.
2. Clarification of demands: Residents used the meeting to clarify their specific demands, focussing on fairer tolling arrangements for those who must use tolled routes to access their homes, with few viable alternative routes available.
3. Discount discussion: It was agreed that a workshop will be held as soon as participants and dates are confirmed with a documented mandate from the residents. The community is requesting a discount, rebate or credit via the e-tag system, depending on what is feasible within the concession agreement’s commercial constraints.
4. Feedback from Bakwena on previous concerns: Bakwena provided updates on most of the issues raised at the previous meeting. These include:
   • While Bakwena does not have law enforcement authority, it conducts regular patrols to keep the road free of debris and aid stranded motorists with breakdowns and crashes and to ensure smooth flowing traffic.
   • Lighting on the freeway remains a challenge due to the theft of over 50 light fittings and cables, but a tender has been issued for repairs.
   • The PAIA manual is available on Bakwena’s website for transparency.
   • Bakwena’s toll-free hotline is displayed on toll plaza canopies, receipts, distance marker boards along the freeway and the Bakwena website and social media.
   • Bakwena’s engineering and routine road maintenance teams are actively addressing the drainage issues identified by the residents at Dr Swanepoel/N4.

“Our commitment is to ensure that toll infrastructure serves the needs of the communities it impacts, while maintaining the financial sustainability required for ongoing road maintenance, upgrades and safety,” says Everitt.

As part of their engagement, SANRAL and Bakwena are committed to addressing community concerns which will be attended to during the workshop as these are complex issue requiring careful consideration of operational, regulatory and financial factors. All feasible options will be explored.

“We are committed to ongoing consultation with community representatives throughout this process,” adds Everitt.

In the interim, residents are encouraged to share further insights or proposals through official community liaison channels. Open and transparent dialogue remains key to addressing these concerns constructively and equitably.

Bakwena remains dedicated to responsible infrastructure management that supports national mobility while being sensitive to community needs.

Road users are reminded of the Bakwena Hotline number: 0800 225 9362.