Forklift Hire in South Africa

Choosing the right forklift

Match the machine to the load and the floor:

• Electric forklifts for indoor warehouses and food stores, with no exhaust fumes
• Gas (LPG) forklifts for mixed indoor and outdoor use
• Diesel forklifts for yards, building sites and heavy loads outdoors
• Rough-terrain forklifts with big tyres for gravel, sand and uneven sites

Most hire is between 1.5 and 3 tonnes, with heavier units for steel, blocks and containers. Check the lift height and the mast's closed height if you work inside containers or under low doors. For higher reach on site, a telehandler often does the job better.

What affects the forklift hire price

The forklift hire price depends on capacity, fuel type and hire period. Short hire is usually charged per day or week; long-term rental is monthly and may include servicing and breakdown cover. A quote should show:

• The rate for the machine and any attachments, such as side shift or fork extensions
• Delivery and collection on a truck, charged each way
• Fuel, gas bottles or battery charging arrangements
• An operator, if you need one
• A deposit, damage waiver and account terms

Monthly rates are much lower per day, so tell suppliers if a short job may run on. Our plant hire rates page explains how to compare quotes.

Forklift hire and driver

If you do not have a certified operator, ask for forklift hire and driver as one package, also called wet hire. Under the Driven Machinery Regulations 2015, only people trained and certified for lift trucks may operate them, and the employer must keep proof. A supplied driver brings that certificate, which suits short jobs, stocktakes and peak seasons. Read more on plant hire with operator.

Safe use on site and in the warehouse

Check that floors and ramps can carry the forklift and its load, and that yards are firm after summer storms or Cape winter rain. Keep pedestrians apart from forklift routes, do not exceed the load chart and never lift people on forks. Ask the supplier for the latest inspection record and a pre-use checklist. Searching for forklift hire near me? Give us your address and we route the request to local companies.

What to include in your request

• Give the heaviest load and lift height
• Describe the floor or ground surface
• State the dates and whether you need a driver
• Note container work or low doors

Forklift Hire on different jobs

• House plots and renovations: offloading pallets of bricks, blocks and roof tiles onto a residential building site
• Housing estates and townships: moving pallets of paving, blocks and pipes between stores and stands on an estate
• Shopping centres, offices and schools: offloading shopfitting, ceiling boards and fittings at a shopping centre build
• Factories, warehouses and logistics parks: loading trucks, unpacking containers and stacking racking in a warehouse
• Roads, pipelines and civil works: handling kerbs, precast items and pallets of material at a road camp yard
• Mines and quarries: moving spares, drums and pallets in a mine stores and workshop
• Farms, dams and game lodges: loading fruit bins and fertiliser bags at a packhouse or farm store

Frequently asked questions

Forklift Hire by province and city

• Gauteng
• Mpumalanga
• North West
• Limpopo
• Northern Cape
• Free State
• KwaZulu-Natal
• Eastern Cape
• Western Cape

• Johannesburg
• Pretoria
• Centurion
• Midrand
• Sandton
• Randburg
• Roodepoort
• Krugersdorp
• Randfontein
• Germiston
• Boksburg
• Benoni
• Kempton Park
• Alberton
• Vanderbijlpark
• Vereeniging
• eMalahleni (Witbank)
• Middelburg
• Secunda
• Mbombela (Nelspruit)
• Rustenburg
• Brits
• Klerksdorp
• Potchefstroom
• Polokwane
• Tzaneen
• Lephalale
• Kimberley
• Kathu
• Upington
• Bloemfontein
• Welkom
• Sasolburg
• Durban
• Pinetown
• Pietermaritzburg
• Richards Bay
• Newcastle
• Ladysmith
• Gqeberha (Port Elizabeth)
• East London
• Kariega (Uitenhage)
• Cape Town
• Bellville
• Paarl
• Stellenbosch
• George
• Worcester

More plant and equipment for hire