E-tag holders to gain from toll discounts

Cape Town - Cabinet provided further details on Thursday of the new toll fees related to the Gauteng Freeway Improvement Project.

Briefing the media following cabinet's fortnightly Wednesday meeting, government spokesperson Jimmy Manyi said the executive had approved reductions in tariffs for vehicles with e-tags.

With effect from April 30, motorcycles with e-tags would pay 20c a kilometre and those without, 38c.

Light motor vehicles would pay 30c and 58c respectively, and non-articulated trucks 75c and R1.45.

Articulated trucks with e-tags would pay R1.51 a kilometre and those without R2.90.

Manyi said these reductions were made possible by a once-off contribution of R5.8bn via the fiscus to the SA National Roads Agency Limited.

The new fee system also ensured that the cost for motorcycles and light vehicles would be capped at R550 a month.

"Time of the day" savings of 20% for heavy vehicles would help deal with the freight industry's concerns, he said.

"This allows for lower toll fees for off peak times to reduce congestion during peak hours and reduce the economic impact of the toll fees for consumers."

Commuter public transport - taxis and buses - remained exempt from the toll fees.

The cabinet had also confirmed the user pay principle.

This would be the norm in future and South Africans "must get used to it".

"This will be the name of the game," Manyi said.