It costs a total of R1,198.28 to make the trip from Johannesburg to the South African border crossing with Mozambique at Komatipoort, based on the current price of petrol.
Fuel prices are at an all-time high in South Africa as costs well above R20 per litre appear to be the new normal for the foreseeable future; a point illustrated by the current inland rate of R24.54 per litre for petrol 95 – a figure which is expected to climb even further before the year is out.
The high cost of fuel is having a major knock-on effect across the country’s various industries, as it influences the cost of transport for many goods and services, including those brought in from ports in neighbouring countries.
One such case is the ever-busy route along the N4 that connects South Africa’s economic hub to Mozambique and its major ports such as Maputo, which is responsible for many of the raw materials and finished goods that make their way into the local economy.
Mozambique’s tropical environment also makes it an appealing destination for South Africans looking for a beach holiday, especially as we head towards summer.
What it costs
Using Sandton as our starting point, the journey from Johannesburg to the Mozambique border at Komatipoort is approximately 460km and will take about six hours.
To calculate fuel consumption, we used a Toyota Corolla Cross as the benchmark given that it is one of the best-selling cars in South Africa, where the base model has an average fuel consumption of 6.8l/100km.
According to this, we will use roughly 32 litres of petrol on our trip, which at September rate of R24.54 per litre, works out to a fuel spending of R785.28.
The fuel cost is not the full story, however, as we also need to account for the toll gates placed on the N4.
According to Sanral, there are eight toll gates along the N4, which charge the following for light vehicles:
- Donkerhoek – R15
- Cullinan – R19
- Diamond Hill – R45
- Valtaki – R35
- Ekandustria – R28
- Middelburg – R75
- Machado – R112
- Nkomazi – R84
Assuming a worst-case scenario where you pass all of these tolls, they will add an extra R413 to your travel bill for a total of R1,198.28.
This means you can expect to pay at least R2,396.56 for a return trip from Mozambique at the current fuel and toll rates.
Keyword: How much it costs to drive from Johannesburg to Mozambique at R24.54 a litre