Plant hire in Gauteng
Last updated
Plant hire prices in Gauteng
Our day rates for the machines Gauteng hires most, excluding VAT. Every machine comes with an operator or driver unless it says machine only. Transport is its own line on your quote.
| Machine | Rate | Price |
|---|---|---|
| TLB, standard 4x4 | Per day with operator | R3,900–R5,150 |
| TLB with hydraulic breaker | Per day with operator | R5,000–R6,550 |
| Bobcat (skid steer) | Per day with operator | R2,400–R3,700 |
| Mini excavator, 1.5–6 t | Per day with operator | R1,700–R3,000 |
| Excavator, 20–25 t | Per day with operator | R3,500–R5,600 |
| Tipper, 6 cube | Per load in Gauteng, with driver | R1,250–R1,900 |
| Tipper, 10 cube | Per day with driver | R3,700–R5,250 |
| Side tipper, 34 t | Per month with driver | R75,500–R92,000 |
| Crane truck, 8–10 t | Per day with operator | R2,500–R5,200 |
| Mobile crane, 20–25 t | Per day with operator | about R4,500 |
| Cherry picker, 12–15 m | Per day with operator | R2,400–R4,000 |
| Grader, 140 class | Per day with operator | R4,500–R6,000 |
| Bulldozer, D6 class | Per day with operator | R5,000–R7,750 |
| Roller, 10–12 t | Per day with operator | R2,150–R5,600 |
| Water truck, 8,000–12,000 litre | Per day with driver | R2,000–R2,300 |
| Forklift, 2.5–3 t | Per day, machine only | R1,150–R1,600 |
Hourly, weekly and monthly rates for every size are on plant hire rates. "Dry" on a quote means the operator is included and you pay the diesel; most day rates assume an 8 to 9 hour day.
Get a Gauteng price on WhatsAppGauteng ground, storms and permits: what changes the job
About a quarter of Gauteng sits on dolomite
The Council for Geoscience puts roughly 25% of Gauteng's surface on dolomitic land. Dolomite dissolves slowly along cracks, and sinkholes are usually set off by water: leaking pipes, ponding stormwater or a falling water table. Centurion is the best-known case. In 2025 the City of Tshwane declared 63 sinkholes a disaster, and one of the most active in Centurion opened after a stormwater drain failed. On the Far West Rand around Merafong (Carletonville), sinkholes go back to the 1960s, when mines pumped out groundwater to reach the gold reefs.
On dolomite, development follows SANS 1936 (Development of dolomite land), and the engineer's dolomite stability report usually sets how footings, trenches and stormwater are handled. Send us those notes with your booking. Our operators keep water out of open trenches and backfill in compacted layers, so plan a plate compactor or roller with the TLB.
Collapsible soil in the north, black clay north of Pretoria
The residual granite soils under the fast-growing northern parts of Johannesburg can collapse when they get wet under load, a hazard identified as far back as the 1950s. Engineers often have the soil dug out and recompacted in layers, which turns a one-machine job into a TLB plus a compactor. North and north-west of Pretoria the ground is the flat Bushveld country with black clay ("turf") that swells when wet and shrinks when dry. Where the engineer says remove it and import gravel, add tipper loads to your plan.
Summer storms, October to March
Gauteng is a summer-rainfall area: the South African Weather Service notes that the rain normally falls between October and March, with little outside that season. Wet clay stops loaded tippers and floods open trenches, so big earthworks go fastest from April to September. If you book in summer, ask about standing time when we quote, so a rained-out afternoon is priced before it happens.
Wayleaves before digging in a road reserve
A trench across a pavement or verge is work in the road reserve, and it needs the municipality's wayleave first. In Johannesburg the Johannesburg Roads Agency (JRA) issues wayleaves so it can monitor and control all work in the road reserve, under its Code of Practice for work in the road reserve. Elsewhere, apply to your own municipality: Tshwane, Ekurhuleni, Mogale City, Rand West City, Emfuleni or Midvaal. Have the wayleave and the underground service positions on site when the machine arrives.
Johannesburg north: Sandton, Randburg, Fourways and Midrand
These suburbs sit on the granite soils described above, inside the JRA's area for road-reserve work (Midrand is part of Johannesburg too). The full city picture, from the CBD to Johannesburg south, is on plant hire in Johannesburg.
Sandton
TLB hire in Sandton
Sandton work is tight: pool digs and extensions behind houses in Bryanston and Morningside, service trenches, and backfill around basements on commercial stands. A standard TLB at R3,900–R5,150 a day with operator handles most of it. Measure the gate first; where a TLB won't fit, a bobcat or a mini excavator (R1,700–R3,000 a day with operator) goes in instead. In an estate or complex, sort out access and working hours with the body corporate before the booking date. Sandton is about 19 km from Johannesburg by road, inside our normal delivery area. The TLB drives to site, so travel is small and confirmed on WhatsApp with your price.
Randburg
Randburg mixes older suburbs such as Ferndale and Blairgowrie with industrial stands in Strijdom Park and Kya Sand, so the machine list here runs from TLBs to forklifts.
TLB hire in Randburg
Extensions, retaining-wall footings, and sewer and stormwater connections on suburban stands. A TLB with a breaker (R5,000–R6,550 a day with operator) is worth it where old concrete slabs or driveways must come out first. Randburg is about 17 km from Johannesburg by road, inside our normal delivery area. The TLB drives to site, so travel is small and confirmed on WhatsApp with your price.
Bobcat hire in Randburg
Clearing yards, loading rubble into a tipper and sweeping hardstands in the industrial parks: a bobcat costs R2,400–R3,700 a day with operator, or R3,000–R3,600 a day with operator with a breaker, auger or broom. It comes on a trailer; transport there and back is R1,300–R3,840.
Forklift hire in Randburg
For warehouse peaks and stock moves in Strijdom Park and Kya Sand, a 2.5–3 t forklift is R1,150–R1,600 a day for the machine; tell us if you also need our operator and it's added to your written price. Randburg is about 17 km from Johannesburg by road, inside our normal delivery area. Transport for a forklift there and back usually comes to R1,300–R3,840, shown as its own line on your quote.
Crane truck hire in Randburg
Offloading machinery, steel or a container, or lifting a generator onto a slab: an 8–10 t crane truck is R2,500–R5,200 a day with operator. If the truck has to stand in the street to lift, check with the JRA whether you need permission to occupy the road. Randburg is about 17 km from Johannesburg by road, inside our normal delivery area. The crane truck drives to site, so travel is small and confirmed on WhatsApp with your price.
Cherry picker hire in Randburg
Signage, gutters, lights and roof sheeting on warehouses and shopfronts: a 12–15 m cherry picker is R2,400–R4,000 a day with operator, with a load-test certificate and a certified operator. Transport there and back is R1,300–R3,840.
Fourways
TLB hire in Fourways
Fourways keeps adding estates and townhouse complexes, so the work is levelling house pads, service trenches inside estates, and landscaping. Expect the engineer to call for deeper or recompacted footings on the granite soil, which means a compactor follows the TLB. Estate rules often limit working hours and require access lists, so arrange these early. Fourways is about 33 km from Johannesburg by road. Transport for a TLB there and back usually comes to R2,840–R3,440, shown as its own line on your quote.
Midrand
Midrand sits on the N1 between Johannesburg and Pretoria. It has distribution warehouses, offices and new suburbs on one side and agricultural holdings such as Glen Austin and Blue Hills on the other, which is why graders get hired here as often as forklifts.
TLB hire in Midrand
Foundations on new stands, water and sewer trenches on smallholdings, and clearing plots for building. Midrand is about 21 km from Centurion by road, inside our normal delivery area. The TLB drives to site, so travel is small and confirmed on WhatsApp with your price.
Bobcat hire in Midrand
Spreading topsoil and gravel, cleaning out stables and yards on holdings, and loading rubble: R2,400–R3,700 a day with operator. Transport there and back is R1,300–R3,840.
Grader hire in Midrand
Gravel roads and driveways on the holdings, and road layerworks in new developments. A 140-class grader is R4,500–R6,000 a day with operator, or R490–R610 an hour for short jobs. It comes on a lowbed: R6,000–R9,500 there and back. See gravel roads and driveways for the full job.
Crane truck hire in Midrand
Placing prefab units, roof trusses and water tanks, and loading machinery at warehouses: R2,500–R5,200 a day with operator for 8–10 t, R3,200–R5,200 a day for 12–15 t. Midrand is about 21 km from Centurion by road, inside our normal delivery area. The crane truck drives to site, so travel is small and confirmed on WhatsApp with your price.
Forklift hire in Midrand
Warehouse forklifts from R940–R1,600 a day (1–2 t, machine only) up to R1,600–R1,900 a day for 3.5–5 t. Transport there and back is R1,300–R3,840.
Generator hire in Midrand
Site power before the connection is live, backup during outages, and power for events: 15–30 kVA is R680–R1,600 a day and 80–150 kVA R2,400–R4,600 a day, machine only. Transport there and back is R1,300–R3,840.
Soweto and the West Rand: Roodepoort, Krugersdorp, Randfontein
West of Johannesburg the ground is old gold-mining country along the Witwatersrand reef, with quartzite ridges and mine land. Further west, from Krugersdorp towards Carletonville, it turns to dolomite: the Cradle of Humankind caves north of Krugersdorp are dolomite caves, and the Far West Rand has a long history of sinkholes.
Soweto
TLB hire in Soweto
Most Soweto jobs are house extensions, backyard rooms, foundations and sewer connections on standard stands. A TLB digs a strip footing, loads the spoil and backfills in one visit. Soweto is part of Johannesburg, so a trench into the street needs a JRA wayleave. Soweto is about 18 km from Johannesburg by road, inside our normal delivery area. The TLB drives to site, so travel is small and confirmed on WhatsApp with your price.
Generator hire in Soweto
Power for a building site before the connection, during outages, or for a family event: a portable generator up to 10 kVA is R320–R520 a day and 15–30 kVA R680–R1,600 a day, machine only. Transport there and back is R1,300–R3,840.
Roodepoort
Roodepoort is part of Johannesburg and runs from old mining land in the south to rocky ridges and newer suburbs in the north-west.
TLB hire in Roodepoort
On the ridges a TLB often meets rock within a metre. Book the breaker TLB (R5,000–R6,550 a day with operator) from the start rather than paying twice. Roodepoort is about 21 km from Johannesburg by road, inside our normal delivery area. The TLB drives to site, so travel is small and confirmed on WhatsApp with your price.
Cherry picker hire in Roodepoort
Shopfront signage, lights and building maintenance: R2,400–R4,000 a day with operator for 12–15 m, R4,150–R7,900 a day for 16–17 m. Transport there and back is R1,300–R3,840.
Generator hire in Roodepoort
Generators from R320–R520 a day (portable) to R2,300–R3,050 a day for 40–60 kVA, machine only, for sites, shops and events. Transport there and back is R1,300–R3,840.
Krugersdorp
Krugersdorp is the seat of Mogale City, with industrial areas such as Chamdor and Factoria and a lot of dolomitic ground to the north and west. Ask your engineer whether the stand is on dolomite before you plan trenches or crane positions.
TLB hire in Krugersdorp
Footings, trenches and plot clearing. Krugersdorp is about 34 km from Johannesburg by road. Transport for a TLB there and back usually comes to R2,920–R3,540, shown as its own line on your quote.
Crane hire in Krugersdorp
A 20–25 t mobile crane is about R4,500 a day with operator and a 40 t about R7,600 a day with operator, with a load-test certificate not older than 12 months and a certified operator. On dolomite or fill, the crane sets up on pads on firm, dry ground away from leaking water. Krugersdorp is about 34 km from Johannesburg by road. Transport for a mobile crane there and back usually comes to R2,920–R3,540, shown as its own line on your quote.
Crane truck hire in Krugersdorp
Factory deliveries, machinery moves in Chamdor and Factoria, and steel for farm sheds: R2,500–R5,200 a day with operator. Krugersdorp is about 34 km from Johannesburg by road. Transport for a crane truck there and back usually comes to R2,920–R3,540, shown as its own line on your quote.
Forklift hire in Krugersdorp
A 2.5–3 t forklift is R1,150–R1,600 a day, machine only; our operator can be added. Transport there and back is R2,920–R3,840.
Randfontein
TLB hire in Randfontein
Randfontein is part of Rand West City, a mining municipality where stands back onto mine land and smallholdings. TLB jobs here are foundations, water-line trenches on plots and clearing. Towards Westonaria the ground is dolomitic, so check before digging deep. Randfontein is about 39 km from Johannesburg by road. Transport for a TLB there and back usually comes to R3,360–R4,060, shown as its own line on your quote.
East Rand (Ekurhuleni): Kempton Park, Germiston, Edenvale, Alberton, Benoni, Brakpan, Springs
Ekurhuleni describes itself as historically the manufacturing capital of the Southern Hemisphere, and most of its manufacturing sits around OR Tambo International Airport, in the industrial triangle between the R21, R24 and N12 (Jet Park, Isando and Spartan). That's why forklifts, crane trucks and cherry pickers are hired here as often as TLBs. Distances below are from Boksburg; the city page is plant hire in Boksburg.
Plant hire on the East Rand
TLB hire on the East Rand
Factory yards, stormwater and sewer trenches, and house extensions across Ekurhuleni: R3,900–R5,150 a day with operator. Boksburg is one of our main centres, so the TLB drives to site.
Crane hire on the East Rand
Machinery installs, roof steel and tank lifts: about R4,500 a day with operator for a 20–25 t crane, about R22,000 a day for 80 t. A rigger plans the lift with you on bigger jobs. More on mobile crane hire.
Crane truck hire on the East Rand
Moving machines between factories, offloading containers and placing generators: R2,500–R5,200 a day with operator for 8–10 t, about R1,900 an hour for a 20–34 t crane truck.
Forklift hire on the East Rand
From R940–R1,600 a day for a 1–2 t machine to R1,600–R1,900 a day for 3.5–5 t, machine only, with our operator on request. Transport there and back in the Boksburg area is R1,300–R3,840.
Generator hire on the East Rand
Backup power for production lines and site power for builds: 80–150 kVA is R2,400–R4,600 a day and 200–300 kVA R8,500–R9,750 a day, machine only. See generator hire rates for every size.
Kempton Park
Kempton Park takes in OR Tambo and the Isando and Spartan industrial areas, so most work here is in and around warehouses and factories.
TLB hire in Kempton Park
Yard repairs, drainage trenches along warehouse walls, and extensions in the residential suburbs. Kempton Park is about 17 km from Boksburg by road, inside our normal delivery area. The TLB drives to site, so travel is small and confirmed on WhatsApp with your price.
Forklift hire in Kempton Park
Short-term forklifts for stock counts, peak season and moves: R1,150–R1,600 a day for 2.5–3 t, machine only. Kempton Park is about 17 km from Boksburg by road, inside our normal delivery area. Transport for a forklift there and back usually comes to R1,300–R3,840, shown as its own line on your quote.
Crane truck hire in Kempton Park
Air-freight crates, machine moves between Isando and Spartan, and container offloading: R2,500–R5,200 a day with operator. Kempton Park is about 17 km from Boksburg by road, inside our normal delivery area. The crane truck drives to site, so travel is small and confirmed on WhatsApp with your price.
Germiston
Germiston is one of the East Rand's oldest industrial towns, with heavy industry in areas such as Wadeville around the residential suburbs.
TLB hire in Germiston
Factory floor-slab breakouts with a breaker TLB, yard drainage and suburban trenches. Germiston is about 12 km from Boksburg by road, inside our normal delivery area. The TLB drives to site, so travel is small and confirmed on WhatsApp with your price.
Crane hire in Germiston
Plant installs and steelwork lifts: about R4,500 a day with operator (20–25 t) or about R7,600 a day with operator (40 t). Germiston is about 12 km from Boksburg by road, inside our normal delivery area. The mobile crane drives to site, so travel is small and confirmed on WhatsApp with your price.
Crane truck hire in Germiston
Loading and moving machinery between workshops: 12–15 t crane trucks are R3,200–R5,200 a day. Germiston is about 12 km from Boksburg by road, inside our normal delivery area. The crane truck drives to site, so travel is small and confirmed on WhatsApp with your price.
Edenvale
Edenvale combines established suburbs with the Sebenza industrial area.
TLB hire in Edenvale
Extensions, pool digs and service trenches. Edenvale is about 16 km from Johannesburg by road, inside our normal delivery area. The TLB drives to site, so travel is small and confirmed on WhatsApp with your price.
Forklift hire in Edenvale
Forklifts for Sebenza warehouses, R940–R1,600 to R1,600–R1,900 a day by size, machine only. Transport there and back is R1,300–R3,840.
Generator hire in Edenvale
15–30 kVA for R680–R1,600 a day or 40–60 kVA for R2,300–R3,050 a day, machine only. Transport there and back is R1,300–R3,840.
Alberton
Alberton's Alrode is one of the biggest industrial areas on the East Rand, next to suburbs like New Redruth.
TLB hire in Alberton
Factory yard work, trenches and house extensions. Alberton is about 12 km from Johannesburg by road, inside our normal delivery area. The TLB drives to site, so travel is small and confirmed on WhatsApp with your price.
Forklift hire in Alberton
Forklifts for Alrode factories and warehouses: R1,150–R1,600 a day for 2.5–3 t, machine only. Alberton is about 12 km from Johannesburg by road, inside our normal delivery area. Transport for a forklift there and back usually comes to R1,300–R3,840, shown as its own line on your quote.
Benoni
Benoni has lakeside suburbs, industrial areas and plots on its edges, so it hires everything from cherry pickers to TLBs.
TLB hire in Benoni
Benoni is 6 km from Boksburg, so the TLB drives over and travel is small. Typical jobs are extensions, plot clearing and trenches.
Crane truck hire in Benoni
Tanks, trusses, prefab rooms and machinery: R2,500–R5,200 a day with operator. Benoni is about 6 km from Boksburg by road, inside our normal delivery area. The crane truck drives to site, so travel is small and confirmed on WhatsApp with your price.
Cherry picker hire in Benoni
Lights, signage and roof repairs on factories and shops: R2,400–R4,000 a day with operator. Transport there and back is R1,300–R3,840.
Forklift hire in Benoni
R1,150–R1,600 a day for a 2.5–3 t forklift, machine only. Transport there and back is R1,300–R3,840.
Brakpan
TLB hire in Brakpan
Brakpan grew up on gold mining, and old mine land sits between suburbs and industrial stands. TLB work here is foundations, trenches and clearing rubble from stands, often with a tipper alongside. Brakpan is about 15 km from Boksburg by road, inside our normal delivery area. The TLB drives to site, so travel is small and confirmed on WhatsApp with your price.
Springs
Springs is the eastern end of Ekurhuleni, an industrial town with factories and older mining land.
TLB hire in Springs
Industrial yards, sewer and stormwater trenches, and house extensions. Springs is about 25 km from Boksburg by road, inside our normal delivery area. The TLB drives to site, so travel is small and confirmed on WhatsApp with your price.
Forklift hire in Springs
Factory and warehouse forklifts, R1,150–R1,600 a day for 2.5–3 t, machine only. Transport there and back is R1,300–R3,840.
The Vaal: Vanderbijlpark and Meyerton
The south of the province is steel and river country. The Vereeniging city page covers the Vaal in detail: plant hire in Vereeniging.
Vanderbijlpark
TLB hire in Vanderbijlpark
Vanderbijlpark is a steel town and the head office of ArcelorMittal South Africa. TLBs here dig for engineering works and workshops in the industrial areas, house extensions in the suburbs, and trenches on Vaal River plots. Vanderbijlpark is about 12 km from Vereeniging by road, inside our normal delivery area. The TLB drives to site, so travel is small and confirmed on WhatsApp with your price.
Meyerton
TLB hire in Meyerton
Meyerton is in Midvaal, a municipality of smallholdings, farms and growing suburbs. Typical jobs: water lines from a borehole to the house, farm dams cleaned out, and foundations for sheds. Meyerton is about 21 km from Vereeniging by road, inside our normal delivery area. The TLB drives to site, so travel is small and confirmed on WhatsApp with your price.
Tshwane north: Rosslyn and Soshanguve
North of Pretoria the ground is flat Bushveld with black clay. South of the city it's dolomite, covered on plant hire in Centurion. The full Tshwane picture is on plant hire in Pretoria.
Rosslyn
TLB hire in Rosslyn
Rosslyn is Pretoria's car-making district. BMW Group Plant Rosslyn, north of Pretoria, has built more than 1.8 million vehicles and is the only plant making the BMW X3 plug-in hybrid for international markets. Around it are component factories and warehouses. TLB work means yard and drainage jobs, cable and pipe trenches, and digging out black clay for new slabs. Rosslyn is about 15 km from Pretoria by road, inside our normal delivery area. The TLB drives to site, so travel is small and confirmed on WhatsApp with your price.
Soshanguve
TLB for hire in Soshanguve
New houses, extensions, yard levelling and water and sewer connections. On the black clay here, footings are usually dug deeper and backfilled with imported material, so plan a tipper with the TLB. Soshanguve is about 33 km from Pretoria by road. Transport for a TLB there and back usually comes to R2,840–R3,440, shown as its own line on your quote.
Machines hired most across Gauteng
TLB hire in Gauteng
The province's most-hired machine: R3,900–R5,150 a day with operator, R320–R410 an hour dry. It digs a trench to about 4 m and backfills it with the front bucket. City detail: TLB hire in Johannesburg and TLB hire in Pretoria.
Bobcat hire in Gauteng
R2,400–R3,700 a day with operator, or R190–R370 an hour. Best for tight sites, loading rubble and spreading material. Tshwane detail: bobcat hire in Pretoria.
Excavator for hire in Gauteng
A 20–25 t excavator is R3,500–R5,600 a day with operator; bigger 36–55 t machines are R6,500–R8,100 a day. It comes on a lowbed, R6,000–R9,500 there and back inside a main centre. See 20 ton excavator hire.
Tipper trucks for hire in Gauteng
A 6 cube tipper is R1,250–R1,900 a load in Gauteng. A 10 cube tipper is R3,700–R5,250 a day with operator, or about R2,300 a load. A 14–18 cube is R3,300–R4,000 a day with operator. Sizes and loads: 10 cube tipper truck for hire.
Side tipper trucks and trailers for hire in Gauteng
A 34 t side tipper (truck and trailer) with driver is R75,500–R92,000 a month with operator. A horse only is R42,000–R63,000 a month with operator, and a side tipper trailer only is R25,000–R29,500 a month. These run monthly contracts hauling coal, aggregate, sand and ore. See side tipper hire in Johannesburg and side tipper hire in Pretoria.
Crane hire in Gauteng
about R4,500 a day for 20–25 t, about R7,600 for 40 t, about R22,000 for 80 t, with operator. Under the Driven Machinery Regulations, 2015, a lifting machine needs a performance (load) test by a registered lifting machinery entity at least every 12 months. Its operator must hold a certificate from an accredited training provider. City detail: crane hire in Johannesburg and crane hire in Pretoria.
Crane truck hire in Gauteng
R2,500–R5,200 a day for 8–10 t, R3,200–R5,200 for 12–15 t, about R1,900 an hour for 20–34 t. See crane truck hire in Johannesburg and crane truck hire in Pretoria.
Cherry picker hire in Gauteng
R2,400–R4,000 a day for 12–15 m, R4,150–R7,900 for 16–17 m, about R8,200 for 20–25 m, with operator. Weekly and monthly rates are on cherry picker hire rates.
Grader hire in Gauteng
R3,900–R4,400 a day for a 120-class grader, R4,500–R6,000 for 140-class. Used for gravel roads, estate roads and building pads. See grader hire.
Bulldozer and dozer hire in Gauteng
A D6-class dozer is R5,000–R7,750 a day with operator and a D8-class about R8,200 a day. Hired for bulk clearing, dam walls and cut-and-fill for building pads on the edges of the metros. It moves on a lowbed. See bulldozer hire.
Forklift hire in Gauteng
R940–R1,600 a day for 1–2 t, R1,150–R1,600 for 2.5–3 t, R1,600–R1,900 for 3.5–5 t, machine only. See forklift hire in Johannesburg.
Compactor hire in Gauteng
A plate compactor is R270–R370 a day and a rammer R350–R470, machine only. A small roller is R1,050–R1,800 a day with operator and a 10–12 t roller R2,150–R5,600 a day with operator. On collapsible soil and dolomite, layer-by-layer compaction is usually in the engineer's spec. See roller and compactor hire.
Generator hire in Gauteng
From R320–R520 a day for a portable unit to R24,000–R27,500 a day for 1,000 kVA+, machine only. City detail: generator hire in Johannesburg and generator hire in Pretoria.
Compressor hire in Gauteng
A diesel compressor with a pneumatic breaker is priced per job: exact price on WhatsApp. For smaller breaking, a heavy electric jackhammer is R380–R610 a day. See compressor, breaker and mixer hire.
Trencher hire in Gauteng
For trenches we send a TLB (to about 4 m deep) or, for narrow cable and irrigation trenches, a mini excavator at R1,700–R3,000 a day with operator. Costs per metre and per day: trenching rates.
Lowbed transport in Gauteng
Excavators, graders, dozers and rollers travel on a lowbed: a 30 t lowbed runs R23–R90 a km with driver. Transport is shown as its own line on every quote. See lowbed hire and machine transport.
Choosing a plant hire company in Gauteng: what to check
Whoever you hire from, these six checks save money and stop a site shutting down:
- Price in writing before the machine moves, with transport both ways as its own line, the minimum hours, and standing time.
- Operator certificates. Operators of cranes, crane trucks, cherry pickers and forklifts must hold a certificate from an accredited training provider (Driven Machinery Regulations, reg 18(11)).
- Load-test certificate for any lifting machine, not older than 12 months. On a leased lifting machine the user keeps the latest test and service records on site.
- Breakdown terms. Ours are a replacement machine or no charge for downtime.
- Wayleave and service positions sorted before digging starts.
- Deposit and balance agreed upfront, as on our hire terms.
How booking with us works, step by step: how it works. Certificates on request before the machine arrives: safety and certificates.
WhatsApp your Gauteng jobQuestions people ask
What sector is plant hire?
Plant hire is part of the construction sector. In Gauteng it also serves mining on the West Rand, factories and warehouses on the East Rand, municipal and road work, and smallholdings around Midrand and Meyerton. Builders and developers hire machines with operators when owning one would leave it standing between jobs.
What are the hourly rates for excavator hire in South Africa?
A 20–25 t excavator costs R340–R690 an hour with an operator, or R340–R680 an hour dry (operator included, you pay the diesel). A 30 t machine is about R370 an hour dry and a 70 t+ machine about R1,500 an hour dry. Most jobs are booked by the day (R3,500–R5,600 a day with operator for a 20–25 t), and the lowbed that brings it is its own line. All sizes are on excavator hire rates.
Do you send machines to every town in Gauteng?
Yes. Johannesburg, Pretoria, Centurion, Boksburg and Vereeniging are the main centres we send machines from, and every Gauteng town is within reach of one of them. Machines that drive (TLBs, tippers, crane trucks) have small travel costs inside a main centre; smaller machines come on a truck or trailer and big ones on a lowbed, each shown as its own line on your quote.
Do I need a wayleave before you dig?
Only if the work is in a road reserve, such as a trench across a pavement or verge. In Johannesburg the wayleave comes from the Johannesburg Roads Agency; elsewhere apply to your own municipality. Inside your own property line you don't need a wayleave, but you still need the positions of underground services before we dig.
Related
Sources we checked
- Council for Geoscience, Development possibilities on dolomitic ground (presentation to Parliament, 27 February 2013)
- Gauteng Provincial Government, MEC Mamabolo assessed areas affected by sinkholes in the City of Tshwane (May 2025)
- University of Pretoria, Collapse of residual Archaean granitic soils in South Africa
- Explanation of the geology of the Pretoria area (Geological Survey, 1977)
- South African Weather Service, What kind of droughts does South Africa experience? (summer rainfall season)
- Johannesburg Roads Agency, Wayleaves
- City of Ekurhuleni, A city to live, play and invest
- BMW Group, Plant Rosslyn reaches 100,000 fourth-generation BMW X3 production milestone
- ArcelorMittal South Africa, Our company
- Driven Machinery Regulations, 2015 (GN R.540), regulation 18: lifting machines
Need a TLB in Johannesburg?
WhatsApp us the job, the town and the dates. We confirm the machine, the start date and the price in writing before the machine moves.
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