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Johannesburg - Calls have been made asking Gauteng motorists not to purchase e-tags and to make electronic tolling unworkable, after roads agency Sanral said it will begin charging motorists within the next two months.
DA leader in the Gauteng legislature Jack Bloom said on Thursday even at this late stage government should reconsider its decision as mounting public resistance could make e-tolling unworkable.
"It's the government versus the people of Gauteng now that Sanral has announced... that e-tolls... will start within two months," he said in a statement.
He was responding to the SA National Roads Agency Limited (Sanral) who said e-tolling will begin within the next two months.
"Sanral faces an uphill battle in getting public acceptance," said Bloom.
Sanral spokesperson Vusi Mona said in a statement: "What we are now waiting for is the completion of the parliamentary process, half of which is already done"
Cosatu criticises roll-out announcement
"We condemn the announcement by Sanral, which is arrogantly made even before both houses of Parliament have passed the legislation to legitimise e-tolling," Congress of SA Trade Unions spokesperson Patrick Craven said in a statement.
Cosatu remained opposed in principle to the move to privatise public highways and create a two-tier public transport service, he said.
"Thousands of workers will have to pay tolls as there is no realistic alternative way for them to travel to and from work and arrive on time. Even non-motorists will be hit hard by the inevitable price increases as transport companies would pass on the cost of tolls to consumers."
Mass protests would take place over the coming weeks, Craven said.
Outa not worried by e-toll launch
Plans to start e-tolling in Gauteng in the next two months do not upset the Opposition to Urban Tolling Alliance (Outa), chairperson Wayne Duvenage said.
"[We are] not surprised or fazed by the SA National Roads Agency Limited's (Sanral) announcement. We've heard it all before," he said in a statement.
Sanral was not ready to launch, he said.
"It has been seven months since the Constitutional Court set aside the initial interdict to allow Sanral to start tolling... something they claimed they could and would do within two weeks of a ruling in their favour. We wonder what the real reasons are that this is taking them so long."
Duvenage said people should not be fooled by Sanral's claims that 78% of motorists would be paying less than R100 per month in toll fees.
"Averages can be very deceiving."
A daily commuter travelling between Tshwane and Johannesburg, or the East and West Rand, would pay well over R300 per month, he said.
E-tolling bill
"As soon as the National Council of Provinces finalises the Transport and Related Matters Amendment bill, the bill will go back to the National Assembly for adoption."
The bill legalises e-tolling of the Gauteng Freeway Improvement Project and was approved in the National Assembly.
Mona said Transport Minister Ben Martins would then announce the tariffs, followed by the necessary notice periods.
"That whole process will take about two months to complete. Thereafter e-tolling will start," said Mona.
"We have a responsibility to collectively build this country and are grateful that there are individual and corporate citizens who see the value of this project and are prepared to play their part in this regard."
E-tags
Mona advised motorists not to wait for the outcome of the appeal before registering for their e-tags.
However, Bloom said that the DA supports motorists who exercise their free choice not to buy an e-tag. Cosatu also appealed to motorists not to buy e-tags and make the system unworkable.
Bloom said Gauteng had four million registered vehicles, and that Sanral's claim that 600 000 vehicles had been registered for e-tags mostly included government vehicles rather than citizens' vehicles.
"The e-toll booths in shopping centres have not attracted many customers at all," said Bloom.
Bloom also said that his party will challenge the process, which could halt the two month countdown.
"There may well be further delays in the e-tolls as the DA will insist on public hearings in the Gauteng legislature on the Transport and Related Matters Amendment Bill."
Judicial review
In April last year, the North Gauteng High Court in Pretoria granted the Opposition to Urban Tolling Alliance (Outa) an interdict approving a full judicial review before electronic tolling could be put into effect.
The interdict prevented Sanral from levying or collecting e-tolls pending the outcome of a review. Sanral and the National Treasury appealed the court order.
In September, the Constitutional Court set aside the interim order.
In December, an application by Outa to scrap e-tolling was dismissed by the North Gauteng High Court in Pretoria.
The court granted Outa leave, on January 25, to take the matter to the Supreme Court of Appeal (SCA) in Bloemfontein.
The SCA hearing will take place in September.
Mona said the appeal had nothing to do with "whether e-tolling should go ahead or not".
"That question was settled by the Constitutional Court last year when it set aside the interdict that prevented Sanral from implementing e-tolling."
Duvenage, however, noted that it was wrong for Sanral to state Outa's legal challenge to halt e-tolling was of no consequence.
- Sapa-Fin24
DA leader in the Gauteng legislature Jack Bloom said on Thursday even at this late stage government should reconsider its decision as mounting public resistance could make e-tolling unworkable.
"It's the government versus the people of Gauteng now that Sanral has announced... that e-tolls... will start within two months," he said in a statement.
He was responding to the SA National Roads Agency Limited (Sanral) who said e-tolling will begin within the next two months.
"Sanral faces an uphill battle in getting public acceptance," said Bloom.
Sanral spokesperson Vusi Mona said in a statement: "What we are now waiting for is the completion of the parliamentary process, half of which is already done"
Cosatu criticises roll-out announcement
"We condemn the announcement by Sanral, which is arrogantly made even before both houses of Parliament have passed the legislation to legitimise e-tolling," Congress of SA Trade Unions spokesperson Patrick Craven said in a statement.
Cosatu remained opposed in principle to the move to privatise public highways and create a two-tier public transport service, he said.
"Thousands of workers will have to pay tolls as there is no realistic alternative way for them to travel to and from work and arrive on time. Even non-motorists will be hit hard by the inevitable price increases as transport companies would pass on the cost of tolls to consumers."
Mass protests would take place over the coming weeks, Craven said.
Outa not worried by e-toll launch
Plans to start e-tolling in Gauteng in the next two months do not upset the Opposition to Urban Tolling Alliance (Outa), chairperson Wayne Duvenage said.
"[We are] not surprised or fazed by the SA National Roads Agency Limited's (Sanral) announcement. We've heard it all before," he said in a statement.
Sanral was not ready to launch, he said.
"It has been seven months since the Constitutional Court set aside the initial interdict to allow Sanral to start tolling... something they claimed they could and would do within two weeks of a ruling in their favour. We wonder what the real reasons are that this is taking them so long."
Duvenage said people should not be fooled by Sanral's claims that 78% of motorists would be paying less than R100 per month in toll fees.
"Averages can be very deceiving."
A daily commuter travelling between Tshwane and Johannesburg, or the East and West Rand, would pay well over R300 per month, he said.
E-tolling bill
"As soon as the National Council of Provinces finalises the Transport and Related Matters Amendment bill, the bill will go back to the National Assembly for adoption."
The bill legalises e-tolling of the Gauteng Freeway Improvement Project and was approved in the National Assembly.
Mona said Transport Minister Ben Martins would then announce the tariffs, followed by the necessary notice periods.
"That whole process will take about two months to complete. Thereafter e-tolling will start," said Mona.
"We have a responsibility to collectively build this country and are grateful that there are individual and corporate citizens who see the value of this project and are prepared to play their part in this regard."
E-tags
Mona advised motorists not to wait for the outcome of the appeal before registering for their e-tags.
However, Bloom said that the DA supports motorists who exercise their free choice not to buy an e-tag. Cosatu also appealed to motorists not to buy e-tags and make the system unworkable.
Bloom said Gauteng had four million registered vehicles, and that Sanral's claim that 600 000 vehicles had been registered for e-tags mostly included government vehicles rather than citizens' vehicles.
"The e-toll booths in shopping centres have not attracted many customers at all," said Bloom.
Bloom also said that his party will challenge the process, which could halt the two month countdown.
"There may well be further delays in the e-tolls as the DA will insist on public hearings in the Gauteng legislature on the Transport and Related Matters Amendment Bill."
Judicial review
In April last year, the North Gauteng High Court in Pretoria granted the Opposition to Urban Tolling Alliance (Outa) an interdict approving a full judicial review before electronic tolling could be put into effect.
The interdict prevented Sanral from levying or collecting e-tolls pending the outcome of a review. Sanral and the National Treasury appealed the court order.
In September, the Constitutional Court set aside the interim order.
In December, an application by Outa to scrap e-tolling was dismissed by the North Gauteng High Court in Pretoria.
The court granted Outa leave, on January 25, to take the matter to the Supreme Court of Appeal (SCA) in Bloemfontein.
The SCA hearing will take place in September.
Mona said the appeal had nothing to do with "whether e-tolling should go ahead or not".
"That question was settled by the Constitutional Court last year when it set aside the interdict that prevented Sanral from implementing e-tolling."
Duvenage, however, noted that it was wrong for Sanral to state Outa's legal challenge to halt e-tolling was of no consequence.
- Sapa-Fin24
