Share

A personal e-toll defiance strategy

Cape Town - Responses are still flooding in from Fin24 users expressing their anger and frustration with the controversial new e-toll system in Gauteng.

According to The Opposition to Urban Tolling Alliance, the system is costly, cumbersome and involves an unworkable administrative process.

A Fin24 user tells of his defiance strategy. He writes:

I have travelled through one gantry once and have avoided going on the highway ever since as I used Witkoppen.

This was actually no problem at all as the roads were quiet due to the school holidays. No doubt January will be impossible, but I shall see.

E-tolls have been live for a month now and I have not become aware of anybody who has received an invoice.

My personal strategy is that I am waiting for an invoice which should amount to R2.95 (incl. VAT?).

Upon receipt, I will go and do a cash deposit at my bank immediately. I will then know how the bank will treat the cash deposit fee.

I would also like to see a summons issued to me for non-payment of R2.95.

Sanral has been very quiet and I see the e-toll defiance campaign as the culmination of the anger towards Zuma for:

- The Nkandla homestead's R208m expenditure;
 
- The building of a road to Nkandla costing R500m. (Remember President Nelson Mandela's roads around his homestead);
 
- Guptagate: No, I didn't  know about the landing at a military base;
 
- The disbanding of the Scorpions;
 
- Zuma's family benefitting from tenders etc. (Khulubuse and Aroura Mine workers not being paid and stripping of the mine, Michael Zuma admitting to benefiting from tenders, Arcelor Mittal Steel/Sishen rights with the Guptas and the President's son Duduzane);
 
- The secrecy bill;
 
- spy tapes;

- Rape trial, can you imagine any other leader being charged for rape?

Now back to my e-toll topic:

If you take all of this into account, it is no wonder there is no money to repair the roads, traffic lights, etc.

Even when they do repair a pot hole, it is not done properly and the problem returns after the first rainfall. Ever noticed that the rubble is not removed after repairs and the old tar and stones are just dumped on the side of the road?

Sanral must use the taxes already included in the fuel levy to pay for the toll roads and for doing repairs on the rest of the road system.
 
The cost of collection is increasing all the time as the rand is depreciating daily.

I also blame the depreciating rand on Zuma. I heard of social grants from Sweden being cancelled due to Nkandla upgrades.

If Zuma only lived up to Nelson Mandela's legacy, South Africa could once again be great.

- Fin24

Disclaimer: All articles and letters published on MyFin24 have been independently written by members of the Fin24 community. The views of users published on Fin24 are therefore their own and do not necessarily represent those of Fin24.

We live in a world where facts and fiction get blurred
Who we choose to trust can have a profound impact on our lives. Join thousands of devoted South Africans who look to News24 to bring them news they can trust every day. As we celebrate 25 years, become a News24 subscriber as we strive to keep you informed, inspired and empowered.
Join News24 today
heading
description
username
Show Comments ()
Rand - Dollar
18.94
-0.2%
Rand - Pound
23.91
-0.1%
Rand - Euro
20.43
+0.2%
Rand - Aus dollar
12.35
+0.0%
Rand - Yen
0.13
-0.2%
Platinum
908.50
+1.3%
Palladium
1,017.25
+1.5%
Gold
2,220.32
+1.2%
Silver
24.84
+0.8%
Brent Crude
86.09
-0.2%
Top 40
68,346
+1.0%
All Share
74,536
+0.8%
Resource 10
57,251
+2.8%
Industrial 25
103,936
+0.6%
Financial 15
16,502
-0.1%
All JSE data delayed by at least 15 minutes Iress logo
Company Snapshot
Editorial feedback and complaints

Contact the public editor with feedback for our journalists, complaints, queries or suggestions about articles on News24.

LEARN MORE
Government tenders

Find public sector tender opportunities in South Africa here.

Government tenders
This portal provides access to information on all tenders made by all public sector organisations in all spheres of government.
Browse tenders