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Cape Town - FNB does not actively promote any service provider or public entity, the bank said on Monday in response to what an an irate Fin24 user regards as "support" for e-tolls.
Fin24 reader Denvan Fynn reacted to a reminder by the SA National Roads Agency (Sanral) that road users on the Gauteng freeway network are from November 2 eligible for a 60% reduction of their historic e-toll debt in arrears.
This once-off discount applies to all unpaid e-tolls levied on Gauteng Freeway Improvement Project (GFIP) roads from December 3 2013 up to and including August 31 2015 and forms part of the new e-toll dispensation announced by Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa in May.
In its statement Sanral pointed out that payment of the outstanding discounted amount due, could be paid over the counter at all First National Bank branches, or at any FNB ATM, or via the internet or EFT.
READ: Time for second new e-toll phase - Sanral
This prompted Fynn to write: "I have been a client of FNB for more than 15 years and I have never experienced bad service from you or any of your representatives. I hold with you bond accounts, vehicle accounts, personal and business accounts for my wife, company and myself."
He wanted to know "why FNB chooses to support a system that is not supported by the majority of South Africans".
"Why does FNB choose to fight against its customers and the people of South Africa instead of alongside them? As we all know e-tolls will affect the poor, and unfortunately, will hurt the poor the most. Why does FNB choose to support a system that does exactly that?" asked Fynn.
"As mentioned before I have never had an issue with FNB service, but to support such a system is a personal attack on me and my fellow citizens."
Fynn feels so strongly about the issue that he is thinking of moving his bank account if FNB does not "divorce itself from e-tolls".
In its response to Fynn, FNB said that, as a financial services provider, it provides a variety of banking platforms to consumers, businesses and public sector institutions.
"Our clients have the convenient option of paying for services such as: municipal rates, traffic fines, satellite TV subscription, CIPC Registrations to name a few. Our aim is to alleviate potential angst and save clients valuable time," FNB said.
"FNB is one of the many channel payment providers to Sanral for e-toll payments. Citizens, therefore, have an option to use our channels to pay their e-toll fees. This is a standard payment alternative which is similar to all the other services we offer. FNB does not actively promote any service provider or public entity."
In the meantime, anti-e-toll group the Opposition To Urban Tolling Alliance (Outa) has launched a new "e-toll defensive umbrella campaign" to provide legal support to members summonsed for non-payment of e-toll fees.
Outa reckons the 60% discount on past e-toll debt is "a farce and doesn't change anything". Outa believes a few people may succumb to what it calls Sanral's "new carrot".
"It will not push their current low 25% compliance levels to much more than 40%, which was where it was in mid-2014 and at those levels, the scheme remains a massive failure as a user pay mechanism," said Outa.
