ROAD TRAFFIC RULES

LIGHTS

Light and Heavy Motor Vehicles

All lamps must be:​

-​ Undamaged, unobscured, properly secured, and capable of being lit at all times;
-​ Kept lighted between sunset and sunrise, and at any other time when, due to insufficient light or
unfavourable weather conditions, persons and vehicles upon the public road are not clearly
discernible at a distance of 150 metres.
-​ Park lights must be on when parked more than 12 metres from a street lamp.

MAIN BEAM (BRIGHT)

-​ Every headlamp emitting a main-beam (bright), must be so adjusted and maintained that it shall
be capable of adequately illuminating an area ahead of the motor vehicle, enabling the driver to
see any person, vehicle or substantial object at a distance of at least 100 metres
-​ Remember to dip the main beam (bright) of your vehicle for oncoming traffic, as well as when
following another vehicle.

DIPPED BEAM

-​ Every headlamp emitting a dipped-beam must be so adjusted and maintained to be capable of

adequately illuminating an area ahead of the motor vehicle, enabling the driver/rider to see any
person, vehicle or substantial object at a distance of at least 45 metres ahead of the motor
vehicle.

PARKING LAMPS

-​ A vehicle may not be driven on a public road with only the parking lamps lighted while such
vehicle is in motion.
-​ Park lights must be on when parked more than 12 metres from a street lamp

REAR LAMPS

-​ You may not drive a motor vehicle on a public road unless it is fitted with lamps at the rear,
emitting a red light to the rear.
-​ You may not drive a heavy motor vehicle on a public road unless such motor vehicle is fitted with
at least one lamp on each side at the rear emitting a red light to the rear

STOP LAMP

-​ You may not drive a light motor vehicle or on a public road unless it is fitted with stop lamps at the
rear.
-​ They must emit a red light, which must be greater than that of the light emitted by the rear lamps
and must be visible in normal sunlight at a distance of 30 metres to a person of normal eyesight.
-​ A person may not drive a heavy motor vehicle on a public road unless it is fitted with at least one
stop lamp on each side at the rear of the motor vehicle which shall, when in use, emit a red light
and the intensity of which shall be greater than that of the light emitted by the rear lamp on the
motor vehicle and shall be visible in normal sunlight at a distance of not less than 30 Metres to a
 person of normal eyesight. When a stop lamp is illuminated, this indicates that the vehicle is
decreasing speed and may stop.

NUMBER PLATE LAMP

-​ You may not drive a motor vehicle on a public road, unless it is fitted with at least one
number-plate lamp at the rear, illuminating the number plate.
-​ Every letter and figure of such a plate must be visible from a distance of 20 metres by a person of
normal eyesight.

NUMBER PLATES

-​ Number plates shall be affixed

-​ Must not easily detachable;
-​ Must be in an upright position or within 30 degrees of such position;
-​ Must be in such a manner that each letter and figure thereon is clearly legible;
-​ Must be in such a manner that the whole number plate is clearly visible;
-​ Must be to the back of a vehicle and one to the front of all other motor vehicles.

FOG LAMPS

-​ No vehicle may be driven on a public road while any fog lamp fitted to such vehicle is lit, except in
conditions of poor visibility caused by; Snow, fog, Mist, dust, or smoke.

SPOT LAMP

-​ A motor vehicle may not be used on a public road if it is fitted with a spot lamp, which can be so
adjusted as to enable a beam of light emit therefrom to be deflected in any direction;
-​ Adjustable spot lamps may be fitted on vehicles performing official purposes (ambulance, rescue
vehicle, fire fighting vehicle, breakdown vehicle police vehicle or traffic control vehicle ,may be
fitted to a vehicle owned by a medical practitioner or veterinarian), and used for professional
duties only; or may be fitted to a breakdown vehicle.

DRIVING VIEW TO BE UNOBSTRUCTED

(REAR-VIEW MIRRORS)

No person shall operate on a public road a motor vehicle

-​ If the driver thereof have a full and clear view of the roadway ahead and to his or her right and left
when the vehicle is in use;
-​ which is not fitted with a rear-view mirror or mirrors enabling the driver/rider of such vehicle, to
see in clear weather, a clear reflection of traffic to the rear: Provided that this shall not apply in
respect of a tractor.

STEERING

-​ Light and Heavy motor vehicles

-​ A motor vehicle may not be used on a public road unless all parts of the steering are maintained
in a condition, which enables the vehicle to be steered safely and efficiently

TURNING RADIUS

-​ A motor vehicle may not be used on a public road if the turning radius of such vehicle exceeds
13,1 metres.
BRAKES

Light and Heavy motor vehicles

-​ Every light and heavy motor vehicle used on a public road must be equipped with; a service
brake, a parking brake, and an emergency brake. (Same as parking brake) which is in good
working order.
-​ Provided that the emergency brake and parking brake may be one and the same brake.

HOOTER

-​ No person shall use the hooter of a vehicle except when such use is necessary on the grounds of
safety.
-​ Motor vehicles on a public road must be equipped with a warning device (hooter), which is in
good working order and, when used, must be clearly audible by a person of normal hearing from
a distance of 90 metres. Sirens or warning devices that play a tune may not be used in private
vehicles.

EMERGENCY WARNING DEVICE (SIREN)

-​ The driver of a motor vehicle shall give immediate right of way to all emergency vehicles
sounding a siren and displaying emergency warning lights.

RETRO-REFLECTORS

-​ A heavy motor vehicle may not be used on a public road unless they are fitted on the rear of such
a vehicle at the same height two red retro-reflectors, one on each side.
-​ A heavy motor vehicle or a combination of motor vehicles may not be used on a public road, if the
overall length of such vehicle or combination exceeds 7 metres, unless there is fitted, on each
side of such vehicle so many yellow retro-reflectors as may be necessary to ensure that no two
successive yellow retro-reflectors are more than 3,6 metres apart,
-​ If yellow reflective strips are fitted to a goods vehicle, yellow retro-reflectors are not
necessary.

YELLOW REFLECTIVE MATERIAL

-​ As from 1 January 2001, yellow reflective material (as prescribed),shall be fitted to the sides and
rear of all goods vehicles of which the gross vehicle mass exceeds 10000 kilograms.
-​ Goods vehicles of which the GVM does not exceed 10000 kilograms, may be fitted with such
strips on the sides and rear, but is not compulsory.

OVERTAKING / PASSING

-​ You may not move back to the left until it’s safely clear of the vehicle overtaken.
-​ Vehicles must keep left and overtake to the right on any freeway.
-​ You may not overtake when approaching a curve, a rise of a summit or at any place where
visibility is impaired.
-​ You may not pass the speed limit when you overtake.
-​ When being overtaken, you must not increase your speed so as to keep up with the vehicle
overtaking you.
-​ You may move a bit to the left or the roadway to allow ample space to be safely overtaken, be
sure to not endanger yourself while doing so.
INTERSECTIONS

-​ The driver/rider of a vehicle on a public road shall, when he or she intends entering any
portion of a public road which constitutes a junction of two or more public roads where
vehicular traffic is required to move around a traffic island within such junction, yield the
right of way to all vehicular traffic approaching from his or her right within such junction,
unless his or her entry into such junction is controlled by an instruction given by a traffic
officer or a direction conveyed by a road traffic sign requiring him or her to act differently.

PARKING​
You may not park:

-​ Where stopping is not allowed

-​ within 1,5 m of a fire hydrant
-​ within 5 m of an intersection
-​ at any place where parking a vehicle will obscure a road traffic sign
-​ Outside an urban area within 1m on the left of the yellow left edge line.

STOPPING

No person shall stop a vehicle on the roadway of a public road

-​ Except in order to avoid an accident,

-​ Unless with a direction given by a traffic officer,
-​ Unless for any cause beyond the control of the driver,
-​ Alongside or opposite an excavation or obstruction on the public road if other traffic would be
obstructed or endangered by such stopping;
-​ Within any tunnel or subway or on any bridge or
-​ Within 6 metres of any tunnel, subway or bridge;
-​ On, or within 6 metres from the beginning or end of, any part of such roadway where the
normal width thereof has for any reason been constricted;
-​ In contravention of any road traffic sign;
-​ On the right-hand side of such roadway facing oncoming traffic;
-​ Alongside or opposite any other vehicle on such roadway where such roadway is less than
9 metres wide;
-​ Within the railway reserve at a level crossing;
-​ Within 9 metres of his or her approaching side of a demarcated pedestrian crossing;
-​ In any other place where the stopping of a vehicle would constitute a danger or an obstruction to
other traffic

CELL PHONES

-​ No person shall drive a vehicle on a public road while holding a cellular or mobile telephone or
any other communication device in one or both hands or with any other part of the body.

PEDESTRIANS RIGHT OF WAY

-​ The driver of a vehicle must yield right of way, slow down or stop, if necessary in order​
to yield right of way to a pedestrian crossing a roadway within a pedestrian crossing.
-​ Whenever any vehicle has stopped at a pedestrian crossing, the driver of any other vehicle may
not pass the stopped vehicle.
 -​ The “red man” light signal shows pedestrians that they may not cross the road at an intersection
until the green man light signal is displayed. The pedestrians must remain stationary on the
sidewalk until a “green man” light signal is displayed. If a red man light signal flashes, pedestrians
who have not entered the roadway must wait until a “green man” light signal is displayed.
Pedestrians who are already in the intersection must cross the intersection as quickly as possible.

VEHICLE LEFT / ABANDONED

Any vehicle left for a continuous period of more than;

-​ 24 hours in the same place on a public road outside an urban area;

-​ 7 days in the same place on a public road within an urban area ,shall be deemed to be
abandoned by the owner.

DAMAGE TO PUBLIC ROADS

You may not;

-​ cause any wheel of a vehicle to drag or spin upon the surface of the roadway, except in the case
of an emergency;
-​ make use of chocks or shoes between any wheel of a vehicle moving along the roadway and the
surface of that roadway, or use any vehicle or thing or move any vehicle or thing on a roadway in
a manner causing damage thereto.

FREEWAYS

The following vehicles may not be used on a freeway

-​ a vehicle drawn by an animal;

-​ a pedal cycle;
-​ a vehicle with a mass not exceeding 230 kilograms and specially designed, constructed or
adapted for the use of a person suffering from a physical defect or disability
-​ a tractor, except when such tractor is used in connection with the construction or maintenance of
a freeway.

No person shall stop a vehicle on a freeway except

-​ in compliance with a road traffic sign or a direction given by a traffic officer;

-​ within an area reserved for the stopping or parking of vehicles by an appropriate road traffic sign,
or for any reason beyond his or her control.

No person shall

-​ Give a hand signal when driving a motor vehicle on a freeway except for a reason beyond his or
her control.
-​ be on a freeway on foot under normal circumstances.
-​ leave or allow an animal to be on a freeway or leave an animal in a place from where it may stray
onto a freeway.

When another vehicle wishes to merge onto a freeway

-​ You must allow that vehicle to merge in front.

TOWING

No person shall be allowed to tow another vehicle on a public road

 -​ The length of the tow rope, chain or tow bar between the two vehicles must not exceed 3,5
metres;
-​ When towing another vehicle, you must not exceed 30km/h, unless the towing vehicle is
connected to the towed vehicle by means of a draw bar or a tow-bar;
-​ A towed vehicle not exceeding 30km/h may convey passengers.

RESTRICTION ON COMBINATION OF MOTOR VEHICLES

-​ A combination of motor vehicles is restricted to a drawing vehicle, and a maximum of two trailers;
one other motor vehicle which is not a trailer;
-​ In an emergency it is permitted to draw or tow one other motor vehicle, which is not a trailer, and
a trailer.

CROSSING / ENTERING PUBLIC ROAD

-​ The driver of a vehicle shall not cross a public road unless the road is clear of moving traffic for a
sufficient distance to allow him or her to cross the road without obstructing or endangering any
traffic.
-​ The driver of a vehicle shall not enter a public road unless he or she can do so with safety to
himself or herself and other traffic.

COMPULSORY STOPS

The driver/rider of a vehicle on a public road shall stop such vehicle

-​ In compliance with any direction given by a road traffic sign or a traffic officer in uniform
-​ When instructed be a person leading bovine animals.
-​ When animals are crossing the road.

ACCIDENTS

In case of an accident, you must;

-​ immediately stop your vehicle;

-​ ascertain the nature and extent of any injuries;
-​ render such assistance to an injured person as he/she may be capable of rendering;
-​ ascertain the nature and extent of any damage sustained;
-​ if required to do so by any person having reasonable grounds to request it, give their name and
address, and the registration number of the vehicle;
-​ Not, except on the instructions of a medical practitioner, take any intoxicating liquor or narcotic
drugs before reporting the accident.
-​ You must not move your vehicle from the position from where it came to rest, unless its position
has been clearly marked on the road surface by the person moving the vehicle, or such removal
has been authorised by a traffic officer.