FNB, in collaboration with technology partner Visa, has successfully completed the roll out of new contactless (tap and go) payments across select toll gates ahead of the festive rush. This payments innovation – a first in Africa – will mean a more convenient, secure experience for South African motorists.
FNB has rolled out the new tap and go solution with selected toll road concessionaires over the past year. Motorists at select toll plazas along the N3, TRAC N4 and Chapman’s Peak toll roads are now able to use a variety of payment methods for contactless payments. Over 88 lanes have been switched on along the N3 toll route between Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal at De Hoek, Wilge, Tugela, Mooi River plazas and the on and off ramps.
An additional, 73 lanes have the tap payment terminals installed along the N4 toll route between Pretoria and Mozambique at Diamond Hill, Middelburg, Machado, Nkomazi plazas as well as the on and off ramps. The FNB solution offers enhanced security, reducing the possibility of fraud and allowing users to keep cards or payment devices in their possession during payment.
Daniel Kaan, CEO for Core Banking and Merchant Services at FNB, says “FNB remains committed to delivering innovative solutions, and we’re proud to be the first bank in the country to deliver a seamless tap-and-go toll solution. The new payment processing platform marks a key milestone that opens up possibilities for further payment processing innovation at toll plazas across the country. The process involved close collaboration with concessionaires to ensure a fit-for-purpose system for motorists, and we’re pleased to see the excitement which has greeted the initial rollout. Feedback from the solution’s introduction has been highly positive. The solution has proven its benefits for not only toll concessionaires but issuers, acquirers, and cardholders.”
Motorists at the Tap and go-enabled toll plazas will be able to use a variety of payment methods including:
• Tap-enabled debit or credit cards (Europay, Mastercard, Visa)
• Payment apps like Apple Pay, Samsung Pay, and Google Pay
• Wearables such as Garmin, Fitbit, Samsung, Apple, and others
• Other tap-enabled apps that allow the use of South African-issued bank cards
Foreign cards will now also be accepted at SA Toll plazas If you do not have a contactless card or device, you can still pay with cash or use a SANRAL tag. Magstripe cards, which require the card to be physically swiped, will no longer be accepted at these toll plazas from 01 December 2024.
The move from FNB comes as the industry regulator has announced that starting 1 December 2024 a major shift will occur across toll plazas in South Africa as magstripe payments will be phased out in favour of contactless payment methods. SANRAL and various toll concessionaires will continue accepting magstripe payments only until 31 May 2025. Fleet and garage magstripe cards can still be used until 30 June 2026.
Kaan says “FNB remains at the forefront of payment technology in Africa, and contactless payments are the natural evolution of the payments space. We welcome SANRAL and the toll concessionaires’ decision to encourage their adoption. Contactless payments have proven to be popular amongst consumers as a quick, secure, and convenient way to pay. This is demonstrated in the growing popularity of contactless payments generally – more than 50% of card payments made by FNB customers are now contactless.”
The rollout of the FNB solution will expand to additional toll road concessionaires in 2025.
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