The South African National Roads Agency (SANRAL) has firmly denied that it is introducing reduced speed limits on South African roads, following the circulation of a false message claiming sweeping changes to national traffic laws.
The viral message alleged that new speed regulations would take effect on 1 July 2025, including reductions such as:
- Urban roads: from 60km/h to 50km/h
- Rural roads: from 100km/h to 80km/h
- Highways: from 120km/h to 110km/h
- Heavy vehicles: limited to 90km/h
- School zones: restricted to 30km/h during school hours
SANRAL responded by clarifying that it has no authority to set or enforce speed limits.
Not responsible for road safety regulations
“Our mandate is strictly limited to the planning, financing, development, and maintenance of the national road network.
“We are not responsible for law enforcement or the setting of road safety regulations,” said Vusi Mona, SANRAL’s General Manager for Communications.
The agency emphasised that the misleading communication falsely attributes new legislation to SANRAL, which is not within its jurisdiction.
Mona encouraged the public to be cautious about misinformation and to report suspicious messages directly to SANRAL’s tip-off line or official email address.
While there have been past discussions by road safety bodies about potentially reducing speed limits to improve safety, no such changes have been implemented or authorised at this time.
The public is urged to rely only on official government channels for updates on road regulations.
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