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Cape Town - The most recent toll increase is a normal adjustment, Vusi Mona, spokesperson of the SA National Roads Agency (Sanral) told Fin24 on Tuesday.
This is Sanral's response to claims by the Cape Chamber of Commerce and Industry that toll road tariffs should come down and not increase.
The chamber was reacting to an announcement by Sanral that all toll fees, except the improved Gauteng freeways, are to be increased by 5.8%.
"We are surprised that the Cape Chamber of Commerce and Industry does not distinguish between an increase and a normal adjustment in line with the Consumer Price Index (CPI)," Mona told Fin24.
He said Sanral is also taken aback that the chamber would object to the organisation implementing the economic principles of inflation and sound business practices.
"Sanral has adjusted toll tariffs in line with inflation annually and this is the first time the chamber has ever voiced an objection," said Mona.
"Their motivation for doing so now and not in the past is questionable."
According to Janine Myburgh, president of the chamber, the whole idea behind toll roads was to raise money to pay for the massive capital costs for new projects.
"But these costs actually decrease as we pay off the old loans,” she said.
“It is like the bond on your house. When you start you spend a quarter of your salary on bond repayments every month. After a dozen years or so it becomes much easier as your salary goes up and the bond begins to look a lot smaller in relation to current house prices.”
- Fin24
This is Sanral's response to claims by the Cape Chamber of Commerce and Industry that toll road tariffs should come down and not increase.
The chamber was reacting to an announcement by Sanral that all toll fees, except the improved Gauteng freeways, are to be increased by 5.8%.
"We are surprised that the Cape Chamber of Commerce and Industry does not distinguish between an increase and a normal adjustment in line with the Consumer Price Index (CPI)," Mona told Fin24.
He said Sanral is also taken aback that the chamber would object to the organisation implementing the economic principles of inflation and sound business practices.
"Sanral has adjusted toll tariffs in line with inflation annually and this is the first time the chamber has ever voiced an objection," said Mona.
"Their motivation for doing so now and not in the past is questionable."
According to Janine Myburgh, president of the chamber, the whole idea behind toll roads was to raise money to pay for the massive capital costs for new projects.
"But these costs actually decrease as we pay off the old loans,” she said.
“It is like the bond on your house. When you start you spend a quarter of your salary on bond repayments every month. After a dozen years or so it becomes much easier as your salary goes up and the bond begins to look a lot smaller in relation to current house prices.”
- Fin24
