South Africa's Transport Crisis: Households Abandon Cars Amid Rising Costs

Why South Africans Are Giving Up Cars to Cut Costs

The mathematics of car ownership in South Africa has shifted. For households across the country, the calculation that once seemed straightforward, a vehicle as a non-negotiable expense, has become a question of survival. As fuel prices climb, insurance premiums rise and maintenance bills accumulate, families are reaching a breaking point and making a choice that would have seemed unthinkable a decade ago: they are reducing the number of vehicles they own or abandoning personal transport altogether.

Charles and Emily Mokone of Katlehong’s Extension 1 faced the starkest numbers. Fuel alone was consuming nearly R3,000 of their monthly budget. When insurance and maintenance were factored in, the car was costing them R6,000 or more each month. The couple made a decisive move: they switched to public transport. Their commute by bus now takes around 45 minutes instead of the 20 minutes their car required, but they have not looked back. The savings go toward debt repayment and building reserves.

The Machubos, who live in Witfield, Boksburg, arrived at their decision through a similar reckoning. Thapelo Machubo, who works in logistics, and his wife Alice, a pharmacist, owned two vehicles: a Toyota Corolla Cross 2020 and a Suzuki Ertiga 2019. When they sat down to review their finances, they discovered they were spending between R8,000 and R10,000 monthly on the car, excluding petrol and maintenance. “That was the wake-up call,” Thapelo said. They sold one car. The arrangement requires more planning and coordination, but they have reduced their monthly outlay by approximately R4,000. “At first, it felt like a downgrade,” Thapelo reflected. “But now we actually kind of like sharing.”

The Ntombela family of Germiston central took a different approach. Siyabonga and Nthabiseng Ntombela have two adult children old enough to drive, yet the household operates with a single vehicle shared among all four members. They have structured their days around priority: work and school take precedence; important meetings and appointments receive priority access; social plans remain flexible. “We thought it was temporary at first,” Siyabonga said. “But now, we stick to this one we have. We’re one family, we share one car, and it works.”

These are not isolated cases. Data from Lightstone Auto, a platform used by dealers and insurers across the industry, reveals a significant generational shift in car-buying behavior. In 2015, people under 35 accounted for 37% of new vehicle purchases; by 2025, that share had fallen to 31%. Their participation in the used vehicle market declined even more sharply, from 45% to 37%. Lightstone attributes the change to stagnant incomes, high youth unemployment, rising living costs and the escalating expense of vehicle operation.

The broader picture is more nuanced. New vehicle sales reached 57,708 in July 2026, representing an 11.9% increase from July 2025, with passenger vehicle sales rising 12.5%. This marked the strongest monthly performance in 12 years. The shift is not about rejecting cars entirely; it is about rejecting the assumption that ownership must mean maximum expenditure.

The used vehicle market has strengthened considerably. In 2025, 383,410 used vehicles were sold, a 7% increase from the previous year. In the new car segment, cheaper Asian brands are gaining significant ground. Chinese manufacturers like Chery and Changan accounted for 40% of vehicles financed by Wesbank in July 2026, compared to just 0.01% a decade earlier.

The pressure is relentless. Effective from 2 September, petrol prices rose by R1.34 per litre, while diesel increased by between R2.94 and R3.15 per litre. These increments compound an already difficult situation for households stretched thin by the cost of living crisis.

This strategy does not work universally. For South Africans living far from reliable public transport, working irregular shifts, or managing school runs in areas without adequate taxi or bus service, a vehicle remains essential rather than optional. The Mokones could transition to public transport because their neighborhood is well served. Someone commuting from a rural area or working non-standard hours may face very different constraints. The choice to abandon or reduce car ownership remains, for many, a luxury they cannot afford, which raises the harder question of whether the cost of staying mobile will eventually outpace the cost of giving up the car entirely.