Cars break down at 2am on the N1, on a Sunday afternoon before a long drive home and on public holidays when workshops are shut. A towing service 24/7 has a driver on call and a truck ready outside office hours. Night work costs more and the risks are different: dark shoulders, fast traffic and the odd uninvited tow truck. This page explains after-hours rates, how to stay safe while you wait and what to agree before the car moves. Send one free request and local operators who work after hours will quote you, no obligation.
Waiting safely at night
- Get as far off the road as you can, hazards on, and set the warning triangle well behind the car.
- On a highway, get everyone out on the side away from traffic and stand behind the barrier. A car on the shoulder can be hit.
- In a quiet or unsafe area, many people stay locked inside with the windows up and only open for the operator they called.
- Share your live location with family and keep your phone charged.
- Ask the operator for the truck type, colour and driver's name before they arrive.
Uninvited tow trucks
Accident chasers who arrive uninvited are a known problem in SA cities, and they are busiest at night. You do not have to use them. Ask who sent them, take a photo of the truck and its details, and never sign a blank tow slip or authority. You may choose your own operator unless your insurer's policy says otherwise, so phone your insurer first. Get the destination and the storage rate per day in writing before anyone hooks up the car. More on this in accident towing.
What makes after-hours towing cost more
After-hours tows often cost about 20% to 50% more than the day rate. The surcharge usually applies on weeknights, weekends and public holidays, and pays for a driver on standby. The rest of the price works as in the day: a call-out fee, often about R850 to R1,000, then about R15 to R25 per km on longer tows. If the car can safely stay where it is until morning, such as at home or in a secure parking, a daytime tow can save money. See towing prices for each component.
Where the car goes at night
Most workshops are closed at night, so the car either goes to the operator's yard or to your home. A yard is secure but charges storage per day, and you may pay a second tow to the workshop in the morning. Ask for both options and the cost of each. If the car is an automatic, all-wheel drive, hybrid or electric, ask for a flatbed.
What to include in your request
- Exact location and nearest off-ramp
- Time you need the tow
- Gearbox, drive type and fuel type
- Yard, home or workshop destination
- Whether your insurer approved the tow
24-Hour Towing for different clients
- Motorists and families: a car that will not start after a late shift or on the way home from a function
- Company fleets and rental firms: night and weekend cover for delivery vans, rental cars and shift workers' vehicles
- Truckers, buses and logistics: after-hours tows for bakkies and escort vehicles that run with night freight
- Farmers and 4x4 owners: a bakkie stuck on a district road after dark during harvest
- Dealers, panel beaters and workshops: dealers and panel shops needing cars moved before the workshop opens
- Construction, mining and plant hire: site vehicles towed on night shifts at mines and construction projects
- Caravan, boat and bike owners: a breakdown on the drive home from a long weekend away
- Municipalities, estates and schools: municipal, security and estate patrol vehicles that run around the clock
Frequently asked questions
How much more does a tow at night cost?
Can I send a request here for a tow right now?
Is it safe to wait in my car on the highway?
Can the car stay at the tow yard overnight?
24-Hour Towing by province and city
- Johannesburg
- Pretoria
- Centurion
- Midrand
- Sandton
- Randburg
- Roodepoort
- Krugersdorp
- Randfontein
- Germiston
- Boksburg
- Benoni
- Kempton Park
- Alberton
- Vanderbijlpark
- Vereeniging
- Durban
- Pinetown
- Pietermaritzburg
- Richards Bay
- Newcastle
- Ladysmith
- Gqeberha (Port Elizabeth)
- East London
- Kariega (Uitenhage)
- Mthatha
- Cape Town
- Bellville
- Paarl
- Stellenbosch
- George
- Worcester
- eMalahleni (Witbank)
- Middelburg
- Secunda
- Mbombela (Nelspruit)
- Rustenburg
- Brits
- Klerksdorp
- Potchefstroom
- Mahikeng
- Polokwane
- Tzaneen
- Kimberley
- Upington
- Bloemfontein
- Welkom
- Sasolburg