e-tolls

The Right2Know Campaign legal team was kicked out of the South African National Road Agency's (SANRAL) Cape High Court application relating to planned e-tolling in the Western Cape.
 
SANRAL, which requested that parts of the hearing to be held in secret, wants to ensure that supplementary papers on the proposed N1/N2 Winelands Toll Highway Project are not put on public record.
 
The organisation is one of several entities, including the Democratic Alliance, protesting outside the court.
 

The Opposition to Urban Tolling Alliance (OUTA) says the announcement that chairperson of the South African National Roads Agency Limited (SANRAL), Tembakazi Mnyaka, has resigned with immediate effect comes as no surprise.

In a press statement, OUTA chairperson, Wayne Duvenage, argues that, "One only has to look at the number of issues that have contributed to the build-up of steam in SANRAL’s pressure pot, to cause people in Mnyaka’s position to bail out.”

The Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU) encourages motorists in Gauteng to continue to use the highways without paying the e-toll bills.

COSATU’s Gauteng provincial secretary, Dumisani Dakile, calls upon people to defy the system and those who have received bills to burn them, adding that there will be a big burning ceremony in front of the South African National Roads Agency Limited’s (SANRAL’s) office in due course for the public to bring their bills to collectively burn as part of their defiance campaign.

The Opposition to Urban Tolling (OUTA) has described the ‘reprieves’ announced by transport minister Dipuo Peters in the opening debate of her department’s budget vote as ‘another carrot to entice the public to buy into the ill-conceived scheme’.

OUTA chairperson, Wayne Duvenage, points out that: “The prosecuting authorities have noted an extremely difficult situation in trying to achieve successful prosecution under the current regulations, terms and conditions.”

The Transport of Department says Minister Dipuo Peters is ready to clarify any confusion on the e-tolling system in the National Assembly.

The system is back in the spotlight after Gauteng Premier, David Makhura, announced during his State of the Province address that a panel would be appointed to review the impact of the system on motorists.

The department's spokesperson Tiyani Rhikotso says, "If it so happens that she is required to provide any form of clarity she will gladly do so."

The Opposition to Urban Tolling Alliance (OUTA) says the courts must still rule on the legality of e-tolling.

OUTA has launched a Rule of Law campaign to challenge what it believes is the imminent prosecution of motorists who refuse to pay for e-tolls by South African National Road Agency Limited.

OUTA spokesperson, John Clarke, points out that the campaign aims to help individuals who are prosecuted.

The Opposition To Urban Tolling Alliance (OUTA) says recent statements about e-tolls reportedly made by Gauteng transport MEC, Ismail Vadi, while positive, are causing confusion.

OUTA’s Wayne Duvenage, points out that, “In the statement made by the Sunday Independent... Vadi suggests that e-tolls should be replaced by more efficient user pays mechanisms.”

The Opposition to Urban Tolling Alliance (OUTA) says the decline in support for the African National Congress (ANC) in Gauteng is due to e-tolls being forced on an unwilling public, despite the ruling party's claims to the contrary.
 
OUTA spokesperson, John Clarke, points out that, “As much as the ANC executive tries to downplay the decline, it is massive and is largely attributed to the decision to force e-tolls on an unwilling and angry public who won't pay for something they were not adequately consulted on or that they didn't ask for.”
 

The Opposition to Urban Tolling Alliance (OUTA) has once again pleaded with government to listen to ‘critics’ against e-tolling, in light of new information provided by a whistle blower on the user payment system.

This, as the organisation awaits feedback from the Public Protector, Thuli Madonsela’s office on a complaint it laid, following ‘damning’ information it received from a source within the system.

The South African National Roads Agency (SANRAL) says urban e-tolling is to be extended to KwaZulu-Natal and the rest of the country.
 
SANRAL’s Nazir Alli points out that, “I’m sure the people who use the roads regularly here who go through Mariannhill Plaza would not like to have to stop in a queue and waste petrol.”
 
Alli, who also lashed out at opponents of the much-criticised system, adds that, “We are reducing the overall impact by introducing an electronic method of collection.”