Motorists using the N3 over the Easter travel period will get some relief, with all construction activity on the N3 Toll Route set to be temporarily suspended as holiday traffic builds between Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal.
According to the N3 Toll Concession (N3TC), the suspension will run from Thursday, 2 April 2026, until Tuesday, 7 April 2026.
N3TC said only essential emergency roadworks will be undertaken during that period, and only if required, particularly in response to incidents that may damage road infrastructure.
Any emergency maintenance, it added, will be managed in a way that limits disruption to traffic flow, especially during peak travel periods.
The decision comes as traffic volumes on the corridor continue to climb ahead of the Easter weekend.
In its latest route update, N3TC said traffic had already been relatively busy over the past weekend, with around 1,400 vehicles per hour travelling southbound towards KwaZulu-Natal on Friday afternoon and Saturday morning. A further just under 2,000 vehicles per hour were recorded northbound at the Mooi Toll Plaza on Sunday as traffic moved back towards Gauteng.
Furthermore, N3TC Chief Operating Officer Thania Dhoogra said current forecasts indicate that traffic volumes are likely to remain steady through the week, with busy conditions expected southbound on Thursday, 2 April, and Friday, 3 April 2026.
Peak return traffic is then expected on Easter Monday, 6 April, and Tuesday, 7 April, as the long weekend and school holidays draw to a close.
The route remains one of the country’s busiest transport corridors during major holiday periods, carrying both heavy freight and high volumes of leisure traffic. That has placed additional focus on easing avoidable congestion where possible while keeping emergency response capacity in place.
The suspension of construction activity also comes against the backdrop of the national Easter road safety campaign.
Transport Minister Barbara Creecy said enforcement would be intensified on major routes, including the N3, as part of government’s 2026 Easter road safety operation.
For travellers, the message is straightforward: while roadworks are being paused to improve flow on the N3, traffic pressure is still expected to remain high. Motorists are being urged to plan ahead, allow extra travel time, and remain alert throughout the Easter period.
Stay informed while travelling by following the N3 Toll X account: https://twitter.com/N3Route
For urgent incidents on the route, N3TC has advised motorists to use the 24-hour N3 Helpline on 0800 63 43 57.
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