Gauteng gears up for e-toll hearings

Johannesburg - A panel appointed to assess the impact of e-tolling in Gauteng will hear representations from various affected groups later this month, the provincial government said on Friday.

Spokesperson Thabo Masebe said in a statement that the panel would begin the hearings on August 25.

Labour organisations would be heard between August 26 and 27, business organisations on August 28 and 29, civil society from September 1 to 3, information and knowledge institutions on September 4, and transport organisations on September 8 and 9.

Masebe said any organisation that wished to make a submission to the panel should make a request in writing to the panel's secretary.

The panel would then hold public meetings in Tshwane, Johannesburg, Ekurhuleni, Sedibeng and the West Rand in September.

A notice providing details of the public meetings and the call for written submissions would be published on August 31, Masebe said.

"By early October 2014, the panel will meet with political parties represented in the Gauteng provincial legislature."

The consultations would be open to the media.

Premier David Makhura established the panel on July 17 and tasked it with assessing the socio-economic impact of the e-tolls.

The panel would present monthly reports and a final report and recommendations to Makhura November 30.