Buses, service provider trucks, ministers' vehicles, delegates and media queued at the Tempe Military Base in Bloemfontein to get their vehicle security clearance on Saturday.
The vehicle queue was approximately a kilometer long.
All vehicles entering the University of the Free State, where the ANC was holding its national conference, had to be processed at the military base before entering the campus.
“Ke mathata fela (It's a big problem),” said one of the delegates queuing in his car.
Each car was searched before being issued a sticker and escorted to the campus by police.
Another motorist said: “This is just a waste of time.”
Motorists got out of their cars, stretched their legs and played music to keep themselves entertained.
All entrances to the university had restricted access and traffic on Nelson Mandela Drive, leading to the main entrance, was controlled by traffic police.
When a vehicle leaves the campus, the sticker is removed and the vehicle would have to be processed again on re-entry.
The African National Congress's national conference starts on Sunday. - Sapa