Dangerous Goods Transport South Africa: SANS Guide

Published: 30 October 2026

Dangerous goods transport in South Africa is governed by a tight chain of law: the National Road Traffic Act (NRTA), Chapter VIII of the National Road Traffic Regulations, and a set of South African National Standards (SANS) that the regulations incorporate by reference. Fuel, gases, acids, explosives and many mining reagents all fall inside it. The rules are not new, but they are detailed, and they place duties on four separate parties: the operator, the driver, the consignor and the consignee.

This guide explains what each standard covers, who is responsible for what, what must travel with the load, and how tanker operators should handle inspection and spills.

Which Laws and Standards Govern Dangerous Goods by Road?

Section 54 of the NRTA prohibits anyone from offering, transporting or accepting prescribed dangerous goods except as prescribed. "Dangerous goods" is defined by reference to the goods listed in SANS 10228. The detail sits in Chapter VIII of the National Road Traffic Regulations, 2000, which runs from regulation 273 onward.

Regulation 273A incorporates the following standards into the regulations:

| Standard | What it covers |
|---|---|
| SANS 1518 | Design of vehicles, tanks and accessories for dangerous goods |
| SANS 10228 | Identification and classification of dangerous goods (UN numbers, classes) |
| SANS 10229 | Packaging of dangerous goods for road and rail |
| SANS 10231 | Operational requirements for road vehicles (duties, documents, equipment, en route procedures) |
| SANS 10232-1 | Emergency information system for road transport (placards and markings) |
| SANS 10232-3 | Emergency response guides |
| SANS 10232-4 | Transport emergency card |
| SANS 10233 | Intermediate bulk containers for road and rail |

Industry guidance also refers to SANS 10230 for statutory vehicle inspection and SANS 10187-8 for load securement of dangerous goods. Buy the current editions from the SABS rather than relying on summaries. For where this sits in the wider legal picture, see our SA transport regulatory landscape guide.

How Are Dangerous Goods Classified?

SANS 10228 follows the UN Recommendations on the Transport of Dangerous Goods. Every substance is assigned to one of nine classes and identified by a four-digit UN number and a proper shipping name:

1. Explosives
2. Gases
3. Flammable liquids
4. Flammable solids and substances liable to spontaneous combustion
5. Oxidising substances and organic peroxides
6. Toxic and infectious substances
7. Radioactive material
8. Corrosive substances
9. Miscellaneous dangerous goods

Classification is the consignor's job, but the operator inherits every consequence of a wrong one, so check the declaration against the load before departure.

Who Is Responsible: Operator, Driver, Consignor or Consignee?

Chapter VIII and SANS 10231 split the duties between four parties.

| Party | Key duties |
|---|---|
| Operator (owner, or person contracted to operate the vehicle) | Display the dangerous goods operator card issued for the vehicle; agree the basic route with the driver, including local authority restrictions; ensure the driver holds a valid dangerous goods permit and is trained under SANS 10231; supply safety equipment and training in its use; keep the vehicle roadworthy, suitable for the load and inspected by a competent person |
| Driver | Hold the correct PrDP and training; carry the required documents; follow en route and emergency procedures |
| Consignor (sender) | Classify goods under SANS 10228; package under SANS 10229 and SANS 10233; load using trained qualified persons; give the driver a signed dangerous goods declaration; supply placards and transport emergency cards, or the information to produce them |
| Consignee (receiver) | Offload using a qualified person, unless otherwise agreed |

Regulation 277 also requires the operator, consignor or consignee to nominate a qualified person to perform the tasks the chapter prescribes, such as supervising loading and offloading.

What Does a Dangerous Goods Driver Need?

The government's PrDP service page lists three conditions specific to dangerous goods vehicles:

• The driver must be 25 or older to hold a PrDP for a dangerous goods vehicle (18 for goods vehicles, 21 for passenger vehicles)
• The driver must be certified by an approved training body, which is only required for category D (dangerous goods)
• The driver must be certified medically fit, with a medical certificate not older than two months at application

Regulation 280 requires the operator to ensure the driver has undergone theoretical and practical training at an approved training body for the specific class of dangerous goods he or she will carry. Training is therefore class-specific: a course for Class 3 fuels does not cover Class 2 gases.

A PrDP is valid for two years. Industry guidance from Arrive Alive says dangerous goods drivers must also complete refresher training with an approved provider every year, and many consignors require proof of it before loading. Confirm the current refresher interval with your training provider, as accreditation for training providers is moving to the QCTO. Our driver licensing and PrDP guide covers renewals, and the driver credential management guide shows how to track expiries across a large driver pool.

What Documents and Equipment Must Travel With the Load?

A dangerous goods vehicle should leave the depot with the following in place:

Documents

• [ ] Signed dangerous goods declaration from the consignor
• [ ] Transport emergency card for each substance on board (SANS 10232-4)
• [ ] Dangerous goods operator card displayed on the vehicle and trailer
• [ ] Driver's licence and PrDP with dangerous goods endorsement, plus training certificate
• [ ] Route agreed with the operator, including local authority restrictions

Vehicle and equipment

• [ ] Correct placards and UN number markings front, rear and sides (SANS 10232-1)
• [ ] Safety equipment listed on the transport emergency card, and a driver trained to use it
• [ ] Fire-fighting equipment as specified for the load
• [ ] Load secured in line with SANS 10187-8
• [ ] Vehicle and tank design and inspection status current (SANS 1518 and SANS 10230)

Municipalities may also designate routes and times for certain dangerous goods, and some metros require fire permits. Explosives have no exempt quantities and carry extra conditions, so treat Class 1 as a separate project.

How Should Tankers Be Inspected and Maintained?

Tankers carry the highest consequence of failure, and SANS 1518 sets their design requirements. Vehicles must be registered and inspected by authorised persons to confirm compliance with that design standard, and SANS 10231 requires maintenance and inspection by a competent person.

The practical regime most tanker operators run looks like this:

| Check | Typical owner |
|---|---|
| Pre-load valve, hatch, seal and hose check | Driver and loading qualified person |
| Earthing and bonding before loading or offloading flammables | Qualified person at site |
| Product compatibility and cleaning record between loads | Operator and consignor |
| Periodic tank inspection and pressure or leak test | Approved inspection body, at the intervals in SANS 1518 and SANS 10230 |
| Inspection after any collision or rollover | Approved inspection body before the tank returns to service |

Take test intervals from the standard and the inspection body, and keep every certificate on the vehicle file. Our roadworthy and COF guide covers the general roadworthiness side.

What Happens After a Spill or Incident?

A spill is a road, environmental and often a health and safety incident at once. Plan for all three.

1. Make the scene safe. The driver follows the transport emergency card: stop the engine, keep people away, use the listed safety equipment only if trained.
2. Call emergency services and the consignor. The emergency card gives the product's emergency contact.
3. Activate your spill response contractor. Arrive Alive notes that the transporter is responsible for clean-up and must have a specialist spill clean-up service provider available. SANS 10231 also requires suitable insurance, including pollution cover.
4. Report under environmental law. Section 30 of the National Environmental Management Act requires the responsible person to report an emergency incident, such as a spill, to the relevant authorities as soon as reasonably practicable, with follow-up reporting after clean-up.
5. Preserve evidence. Keep trip data, the declaration, photos and driver statements for the investigation and the insurer.

Our incident and accident management guide covers the reporting and investigation workflow in more detail.

How Does SA Practice Compare With ADR?

Classification, UN numbers and placard symbols follow the same UN model regulations as the European ADR agreement. The duties, documents, PrDP rules and vehicle design standard (SANS 1518) are South African. For cross-border work, check the destination country's rules separately. Our cross-border permits guide covers the C-BRTA side.

How Can a System Keep Dangerous Goods Work Compliant?

Most failures are an expired PrDP, a missing emergency card or a lapsed tank certificate. That is a records problem:

• Hold driver PrDP, medical and dangerous goods training expiries with advance alerts
• Hold vehicle operator cards and tank inspection certificates per unit
• Block a trip from being dispatched if the driver or vehicle is not cleared for the class on the order
• Attach the declaration and emergency cards to the trip record
• Keep an audit trail for consignor audits and incident investigations

T-ERP handles this through RTMS compliance and driver management records linked to each trip, so the same data serves the roadside, the client audit and your RTMS audit.

Conclusion

Dangerous goods transport in South Africa rests on the NRTA, Chapter VIII of the regulations and the incorporated SANS standards. The operator must keep the vehicle, equipment, operator card, route and driver training right; the consignor must classify, package, declare and supply placards and emergency cards; and the driver must be 25 or older, trained by an approved body and medically fit. Buy the current standards, map who supplies what on each contract, and put every expiry into a system that stops a non-compliant trip before it starts. If you want to see how that works on your own fleet, schedule a consultation.

Sources

• Acts Online: National Road Traffic Regulations, regulation 273A (Incorporation of standards) - list of incorporated SANS standards
• Focus on Transport: Watch out for legal pitfalls when transporting dangerous goods - NRTA section 54, operator, consignor and consignee duties under SANS 10231
• Arrive Alive: Safe Transport of Dangerous Goods - SANS 10230 and 10187-8, refresher training, spill contractor, insurance, municipal routes
• gov.za: Apply for a professional driving permit - age 25, approved training body for category D, medical certificate
• Acts Online: regulation 280, Driver to undergo training - class-specific training at an approved body
• Acts Online: NEMA section 30, Control of emergency incidents - incident reporting duty

The information in this article is for general guidance only. Regulations and requirements may change - always verify current requirements with the relevant South African regulatory authority.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is SANS 10228?

SANS 10228 is the South African National Standard for the identification and classification of dangerous goods for transport. It assigns each substance to one of nine hazard classes with a UN number and proper shipping name. The NRTA defines dangerous goods by reference to it, and regulation 273A incorporates it into the road traffic regulations.

How old must a dangerous goods driver be in South Africa?

According to the government's PrDP service page, a driver must be 25 or older to hold a professional driving permit for a dangerous goods vehicle. The driver must also be certified by an approved training body and certified medically fit. For ordinary goods vehicles the minimum age is 18.

Who must supply placards and the transport emergency card?

Under SANS 10231 the consignor must supply the operator with the correct placards and transport emergency cards, or the information needed to provide them. The operator is responsible for displaying them and equipping the vehicle. Agree this in writing on each contract so nothing is left to the driver on the day.

Is dangerous goods training class-specific?

Yes. Regulation 280 requires the driver to be trained at an approved training body for the specific class of dangerous goods he or she will transport. A driver trained only for flammable liquids is not trained for gases or corrosives. Keep the class on the training record and check it against every order.

Does a dangerous goods spill have to be reported?

Yes. Besides calling emergency services and the consignor, section 30 of the National Environmental Management Act requires the responsible person to report an emergency incident such as a spill to the relevant authorities as soon as reasonably practicable, with further reporting after clean-up. Have a specialist spill contractor on call before you need one.