The situation was exacerbated by impatient motorists ignoring traffic rules, with the Farmer’s Weekly team witnessing several dangerous incidents along routes leading to Nampo Park. Motorists were seen overtaking across solid barrier lines, driving in emergency lanes, and cutting across traffic queues, endangering other road users and adding to the congestion.
While many visitors complained on social media about an apparent absence of traffic officers, Farmer’s Weekly did observe traffic officials managing intersections and attempting to improve the flow of vehicles in heavily congested areas.
In a statement shared on social media, Dr Dirk Strydom, managing director of Nampo, apologised for the congestion and said the situation was worsened by the large number of vehicles travelling to the Toyota South Africa Hilux Guinness World Records attempt hosted at Nampo Park.
“Although we are incredibly excited and proud to host such a unique event at #NAMPO2026, it has unfortunately temporarily put great pressure on the surrounding road network,” Strydom said.
He added that traffic authorities and organisers were working to improve traffic flow, and that conditions had already improved significantly.
Visitors took to Facebook to express their frustration, with several threatening to turn around and go home without attending the show. One visitor said they had spent two hours in traffic just outside Bothaville, while another complained that they had moved less than 1km in 40 minutes.
Despite the delays, Strydom thanked visitors for their patience and support, saying organisers hoped attendees would still enjoy “a fantastic day at Nampo”.
