According to Metro police traffic reports on the M1 highway, which is not tolled, there was heavy congestion.
Metro police spokesperson Edna Mamonyane said traffic on the M1 was “bottlenecked and choked” since early this morning (3 December).
Mamonyane said traffic on Hendrik Potgieter, Ontdekkers and Main Reef roads was heavier than usual.
Kliprivier and Booysens roads were backed up for motorists coming from the south of Johannesburg. She added that traffic on roads in the north like William Nicol Drive, Beyers Naude Drive and Malibongwe Drive was also very heavy.
However, she said these roads were busy on a daily basis.
She said motorists were using suburbs as alternative routes, adding that the tolled N1 and N12 were almost completely clear.
Meanwhile, it wasn’t all bad news for motorists who chose to use the e-tolled freeways.
While many people took to Twitter, expressing fierce opposition to the user-pay system, some motorists were beginning to see the benefits of e-tolls.
@solcarelse tweeted: Positive thing about #etolls going live, is the fact that the highways are clear. I can actually get to work on time. #conflicted
He wasn’t the only Twitter user to tweet in favour of e-tolling.
@TheRealMfundz: If you want to drive around on better roads and lighter traffic where exactly do you think the money will come from? Pay your damn #etolls
@Swaghmarae: The highways are such a breeze #etolls
@fiki4poka: Did people use alternative routes or are they already on holiday? Took me 50 min compared to the usual 90+. #Etolls
