Polokwane plant hire
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Polokwane plant hire prices
Our rates for the machines Polokwane hires most, excluding VAT. With an operator or driver unless it says machine only.
| Machine | Rate | Price |
|---|---|---|
| TLB, standard 4x4 | Per day with operator | R3,900–R5,150 |
| Forklift, 2.5–3 t | Per day, machine only | R1,150–R1,600 |
| Tipper, 10 cube | Per day with driver | R3,700–R5,250 |
| Excavator, 20–25 t | Per day with operator | R3,500–R5,600 |
| Water tanker, 8,000–12,000 litre | Per day with driver | R2,000–R2,300 |
| Grader, 140 class | Per day with operator | R4,500–R6,000 |
| Cherry picker, 12–15 m | Per day with operator | R2,400–R4,000 |
| Generator, 40–60 kVA | Per day, machine only | R2,300–R3,050 |
| Bulldozer, D6 class | Per day with operator | R5,000–R7,750 |
| Mobile crane, 20–25 t | Per day with operator | about R4,500 |
Polokwane's work, ground and weather
The province's hub on the N1
Polokwane is Limpopo's capital, on the N1 between Gauteng and the Zimbabwe border. Government offices, shopping centres, schools, hospitals and new suburbs keep TLBs, tippers and cherry pickers busy; warehouses and wholesalers serving the whole province hire forklifts; and the platinum mines of the northern Bushveld around Mokopane, about 62 km away, draw long-hire plant through town.
Rock close to the surface, clay in the low spots
Polokwane stands on the Pietersburg Plateau, which the municipality's 2007 environmental assessment describes as almost entirely a gneiss surface, with granite in places. On many stands the soil is thin over weathered rock, so a TLB digs easily for the first metre and then slows; for footings and trenches into rock, book the breaker TLB (R5,000–R6,550 a day with operator) from the start. Some areas hold expansive clay that swells when wet, which engineers often have replaced with gravel under slabs, so plan tipper loads both ways.
Dry, with summer storms
Polokwane is dry, with about 475 mm of rain a year, falling mostly in summer storms between November and March. Winters are dry, the best time for earthworks. Summer storms bring short, heavy downpours, so keep trenches short and backfill the same day, and agree standing time on day-rate jobs.
Bush on the plots
Plots and farms around the city carry bushveld trees. Marula, leadwood, shepherd's tree and camel thorn are protected trees: no one may cut or damage them without a licence under the National Forests Act, so mark them before clearing starts.
TLB hire in Polokwane
A standard TLB is R3,900–R5,150 a day with operator, or R320–R410 an hour dry. Foundations and extensions in the suburbs, sewer and water connections, septic and soak-away holes on plots, and clearing stands. Polokwane is one of the main centres we send machines from. The TLB drives to site, so travel is small and confirmed on WhatsApp with your price. Ground, local jobs and examples: TLB hire in Polokwane.
Forklift hire in Polokwane
Forklifts for distribution warehouses, wholesalers and builders' merchants, stock moves and month-end peaks. Prices are for the machine; add our operator and it goes on your written price.
| Size | Per day | Longer hire |
|---|---|---|
| 1–2 t | R940–R1,600 | About R5,650 a week |
| 2.5–3 t | R1,150–R1,600 | Weekly price on WhatsApp |
| 3.5–5 t | R1,600–R1,900 | About R8,500 a week, R30,000 a month |
Forklifts are lifting machines, so the driver needs a certificate from an accredited training provider for that type of forklift. Polokwane is one of the main centres we send machines from. Transport for a forklift there and back usually comes to R1,300–R3,840, shown as its own line on your quote. See forklift hire rates.
Trucks, diggers and graders in Polokwane
Tipper truck for hire in Polokwane
A 10 cube tipper with driver is R3,700–R5,250 a day with operator and a 14–18 cube R3,300–R4,000 a day with operator: sand and stone to sites, gravel for yards and plot roads, and rubble out. On rock or clay jobs, plan loads both ways. See tipper truck hire.
Excavator hire in Polokwane
For bulk earthworks on new developments, sewer and water mains, and farm dams: a 20–25 t excavator is R3,500–R5,600 a day with operator or R340–R690 an hour. On rock, ask for a breaker attachment. It comes on a lowbed: R6,000–R9,500 there and back inside Polokwane. See 20 ton excavator hire.
Grader for hire in Polokwane
Gravel roads on plots and farms, township and estate roads, and yards: a 120-class grader is R3,900–R4,400 a day with operator, a 140-class 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 in town. See gravel roads and driveways.
Water tanker for hire in Polokwane
For dust control on sites and gravel roads and water for compaction: R2,000–R2,300 a day with operator for 8,000–12,000 litre, R2,400–R2,800 a day with operator for 14,000–18,000 litre. In a dry town, compaction water is often the bottleneck on road and yard jobs, so book the tanker with the grader and roller. See water truck hire.
Bulldozer hire around Polokwane
Bush clearing on farms and plots, dams and bulk earthworks: R5,000–R7,750 a day with operator for a D6-class. See bulldozer hire.
Lifting, height work and power in Polokwane
Cherry picker hire in Polokwane
Signage and lighting on shopping centres and warehouses, roof and gutter repairs, painting and tree work: R2,400–R4,000 a day with operator for 12–15 m, R4,150–R7,900 a day for 16–17 m, each with a certified operator and a load-test certificate not older than 12 months. Near power lines, nobody may come inside the line's safety clearance without permission from Eskom or the municipality (Electrical Machinery Regulations, reg 19). Polokwane is one of the main centres we send machines from. Transport for a cherry picker there and back usually comes to R1,300–R3,840, shown as its own line on your quote. See cherry picker hire rates.
Generator hire in Polokwane
Site power before the connection, backup for shops and offices, and power for events and functions. Machine only, per day: R320–R520 up to 10 kVA, R680–R1,600 for 15–30 kVA, R2,300–R3,050 for 40–60 kVA and R2,400–R4,600 for 80–150 kVA. Transport there and back in Polokwane is R1,300–R3,840. See generator hire.
Cranes and crane trucks
Crane trucks are R2,500–R5,200 a day with operator for 8–10 t. Mobile cranes, sizes and local lifts: crane hire in Polokwane.
Polokwane equipment hire
Small equipment comes machine only and is usually added to a TLB or tipper booking:
- Plate compactor R270–R370 a day, reversible plate R400–R630, rammer R350–R470
- Concrete mixer (300–500 litre) R370–R470 a day
- Heavy electric jackhammer R380–R610 a day
- Small roller (1.5–3 t) with operator R1,050–R1,800 a day with operator
Outside Polokwane, from Tzaneen to Lephalale: plant hire in Limpopo. Booking step by step: how it works. Certificates on request: safety and certificates.
WhatsApp your Polokwane jobQuestions people ask
What are the contact numbers for plant hire in Polokwane?
We work on WhatsApp so your request and our price are in writing. Tap any WhatsApp button on this page: the message is pre-typed with the page and town, so you only add the machine, the dates and the job. A photo of the site helps us price it right first time. Our number and email are on the contact page.
How much does plant hire cost in Polokwane?
With an operator or driver: a TLB is R3,900–R5,150 a day with operator, a 20–25 t excavator R3,500–R5,600 a day with operator, a 10 cube tipper R3,700–R5,250 a day with operator and a 140-class grader R4,500–R6,000 a day with operator. A 2.5–3 t forklift is R1,150–R1,600 a day, machine only. Prices exclude VAT; transport is its own line.
Do you hire small equipment in Polokwane?
Yes, machine only: plate compactors from R270–R370 a day, rammers R350–R470, concrete mixers R370–R470, heavy jackhammers R380–R610 and portable generators R320–R520. They're often added to a TLB or tipper booking so everything comes in one trip.
Related
Sources we checked
- GCIS Pocket Guide to South Africa, Mineral resources (Bushveld Complex)
- Driven Machinery Regulations, 2015 (GN R.540), regulation 18: lifting machines and operator certificates
- National Code of Practice, 2024: forklift (lift truck) codes F1 to F16
- Electrical Machinery Regulations 2011 (GN R.250), reg 19 overhead power lines
- National Forests Act 84 of 1998, section 15 (protected trees)
- Polokwane Local Municipality: Strategic assessment of environmental issues and sensitive areas in SDA 3 (2007): Pietersburg Plateau gneiss, soils, 475 mm rain, protected trees
- List of protected tree species under the National Forests Act (GN 2984 of 2023)
- Parliament (NCOP, 2025), Limpopo provincial profile (Polokwane provincial capital)
- SMM (August 2026), An introduction to the Bushveld Complex (northern limb around Mokopane)
Need a TLB in Polokwane?
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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