page_title: Transport in South Africa
section_title: Roads
hierarchical_section_title: Transport in South Africa / Roads
caption_attribution_description: English: Hitchhiking is not prohibited in South Africa but there are still people that cannot afford public transportation and have no other means to travel other than walking or asking for a lift. This is an image with the theme "Africa on the Move or Transport" from: South Africa
context_page_description: Different methods of Transport in South Africa include roads, railways, airports, water, and pipelines for petroleum oil. The majority of people in South Africa use informal minibus taxis as their main mode of transport. BRT has been implemented in some South African cities in an attempt to provide more formalised and safer public transport services. These systems have been widely criticised due to their large capital and operating costs. A "freeway" is different from most countries as certain things are forbidden which include certain motorcycles, no hand signals, and motor tricycles. South Africa has many major ports including Cape Town, Durban, and Port Elizabeth that allow ships and other boats to pass through, some carrying passengers and some carrying petroleum tankers.
context_section_description: The national speed limit is 60 km/h in residential areas and 120 national roads/freeways/motorways.
  In 2002 the country had 362,099  km of highways, 73,506  km (17%) of which was paved (including 239  km of expressways).
  In South Africa, the term freeway differs from most other parts of the world. A freeway is a road where certain restrictions apply.
  The following are forbidden from using a freeway:
  a vehicle drawn by an animal;
  a pedal cycle (such as a bicycle);
  a motor cycle having an engine with a cylinder capacity not exceeding 50 cm³ or that is propelled by electrical power;
  a motor tricycle or motor quadrucycle;
  pedestrians
  Drivers may not use hand signals on a freeway (except in emergencies) and the minimum speed on a freeway is 60 km/h (37 mph). Drivers in the rightmost lane of multi-carriageway freeways must move to the left if a faster vehicle approaches from behind to overtake.
  Despite popular opinion that "freeway" means a road with at least two carriageways, single carriageway freeways exist, as is evidenced by the statement that "the roads include 1400 km of dual carriageway freeway, 440 km of single carriageway freeway and 5300 km of single carriage main road with unlimited access."
  The Afrikaans translation of freeway is snelweg (literally fast road or expressway).
caption: Hitchhiker looking for transport in Maboneng, Johannesburg
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