Johannesburg - The SA National Roads Agency Limited (Sanral) is still
studying a ruling by the high court in Pretoria which brought the
Gauteng e-tolling project to a halt, it said on Wednesday.
"Sanral together with the department of transport has
noted the judgement handed down by the North Gauteng (High) Court,"
spokesperson Felix Sebata said in a statement.
"We respect the judgement and will study the ruling and consider the next steps in consultation with our principals."
On Saturday, Judge Bill Prinsloo granted an urgent
interdict brought by the Opposition to Urban Tolling Alliance to stop
the e-tolling system so that a full court review could be carried out to
determine whether it should be scrapped.
"I make the following order... the first respondent (Sanral) is interdicted and restrained from levying and collecting
tolls," he said.
Prinsloo said while he realised Sanral would suffer
huge financial losses, the public would also suffer hardship if the
controversial project went ahead.
E-tolling was to have started on Monday on 185km of highway in Johannesburg and Tshwane.
Sebata said Sanral is an agency of the transport
department and as such, its mandate is to implement policy. He said it
therefore took its lead from the department.
"The agency is not able to comment any further at this
point. We therefore ask that you contact the department of transport if
you have any further questions."
The department was unavailable for comment on Wednesday morning. It said in a statement on Saturday that it noted the judgment.
"We respect the decision. We will study the ruling
thoroughly and decide on the next course of action," spokesperson Tiyani
Rikhotso said.