What is a weighbridge?
A weighbridge is used to weigh entire rail or road vehicles and their contents. The load carried by the vehicle is calculated by weighing the vehicle both empty and loaded.
Types of weighbridges
- Electronic (deep/pitless)
- Digital (shallow/ deep pit or pitless)
- Rail
- Moveable/ Immoveable
- Mechanical
- Electro-mechanical
- Axle Scales
- Portable ramp scales
Built-up vehicles
If you build a vehicle up from parts, or if the tare of the vehicle changes, you will have to obtain a weighbridge certificate before you can register the vehicle.
Overloaded vehicles
Overloaded vehicles cause damage to roads which leads to higher maintenance and repair costs. This places an additional burden on the state as well as road users who will ultimately bear the brunt of a fuel levy and vehicle licence fee increase.
Fines
If you use a vehicle while the mass has been exceeded and the load is not reduced or adjusted or if you fail to proceed on command of a traffic officer or directed by a traffic sign to a weighbridge you can face a fine of R1 500.
Road safety
If a vehicle is overloaded:
- Brakes have to work harder meaning it will overheat and the vehicle will not be able to stop.
- It will be less stable, difficult to steer and will take longer to stop.
It can cause tyres to overheat and wear quickly increasing the chances of the tyre blowing out.
It cannot accelerate as normal, making it difficult to overtake.
The headlights will tilt up at night, blinding oncoming drivers to possible debris or obstruction.
Visit Safely Home and Arrive Alive for more road safety tips.
Weighbridge centres
You will find weighbridge facilities at the following motor vehicle registering authorities:
- Atlantis
- Beaufort West
- Citrusdal
- Hermanus
- Hessequa
- Hopefield
- Lutzville
- Paarl
- Prince Albert
- Worcester
Other provincial weighbridge facilities
| Weighbridge | Location | Telephone | |
| Beaufort West | N1 – 2 km north of Beaufort West towards Laingsburg | 023 415 2222 | beaufortwest@wc.weighbridge.co.za |
| Joostenbergvlakte | N1 – 40 km north of Cape Town towards Paarl | 021 884 4155 | joostenbergvlakte@wc.weighbridge.co.za |
| Klawer | N7 – 1 km south of Klawer | 027 216 1877 | klawer@wc.weighbridge.co.za |
| Moorreesburg | N7 – Outside Moorreesburg towards Malmesbury | 022 433 1564 | moorreesburg@wc.weighbridge.co.za |
| Rawsonville | N1 – 20 km south of Worcester towards Paarl. | 023 349 1852 |
rawsonville@wc.weighbridge.co.za
|
| Somerset West | N2 – Outside Somerset West Road towards Cape Town. | 021 851 5051 | somersetwest@wc.weighbridge.co.za |
| Swellendam | N2 – 2 km south of Swellendam | 028 514 1880 | swellendam@wc.weighbridge.co.za |
| Vissershok | N7 – 30 km north of Cape Town. | 021 972 1880 | vissershok@wc.weighbridge.co.za |
| Vredenburg | R27 – 15 km south of Vredenburg. | 022 772 1953 |
vredenburg@wc.weighbridge.co.za
|
Contact details for more Information:
Tel: 0860 212 414
SMS and Please Call Me: 079 769 1207
Fax: 021 483 7216
E-mail: service@westerncape.gov.za
Twitter: @WCGovTPW
Read more on road safety in the Western Cape