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Activist Jason Fivaz directed Fin24 to an open letter addressed to Sanral CEO Nazir Alli. Fin24 contacted Sanral representatives for comment, who said the parastatal will not engage Fivaz on a media platform and instead deal with him directly.
He asked Fin24 to publish his response and open letter. He writes:
Mr Alli
My open letter to you of May 6 2014 refers.
It has come to my attention that a media group has contacted Sanral in respect of my open letter to you, and asked for Sanral’s comment on the content of the letter. It has also been confirmed that Sanral has told the media group that it has been dealing directly with me, and will not engage with me on a media platform.
I do believe this to be untrue Mr Alli, as you have only provided a very limited response to my letter written to you on January 23 2014, which included some of those written prior to that date as well. Since then I cannot trace any other letters from you.
Sanral’s reluctance to engage with a member of the public on the issues of e-tolling is a matter of serious concern to me, as Sanral is a state-owned entity, and should be held to account to the tax-paying public.
Sanral’s approach to this matter also just leads me to believe that there could be even greater substance to my questions. Why else would you not want to engage with me on a public platform?
They are only questions after all, and all I seek is your confirmation as to whether or not there is any substance to them. Our constitution allows us to ask questions, Mr Alli.
So, to make this easier, may I expand my question to you a little?
Mr Alli,
I have heard rumours said to be emanating from within your organisation that Sanral's Electronic Toll Collection (ETC) is currently involved in legal disputes or litigation with the majority of its sub-contractors over contractual issues.
Is this true?
Surely all contracts would have been done and dusted shortly after the tenders were awarded?
Could it be that there are still contracts between Sanral and its sub-contractors that are in dispute and not finalised as yet?
It is an open secret that Sanral’s contractors will not be able to openly confirm or deny any of these questions, because of the onerous and severe penalties that could be imposed upon them due to the restraints of trade/non-disclosure agreements Sanral made them sign.
Why all the secrecy, Mr Alli? Neither Sanral nor Gauteng Open Road Tolling is a national key point.
As Sanral is a state-owned entity, this is something that I will be raising with both the Democratic Alliance and the Economic Freedom Fighters for clarification with the minister of transport, at the first parliamentary session.
Your comments would be appreciated (but know that I will be placing them in the public domain, as this is a matter for all South Africans to be aware of).
Kind regards
Jason Fivaz
Here is the initial open letter sent by Fin24 to Sanral representatives for comment:
Hi Mr Alli
An open letter to you.
You haven’t answered any of my previous emails yet. These are questions that the people of Gauteng need answered!
In fact that is also very concerning is that the chairperson of Sanral has not answered any of my emails to her either. Is everything okay between you and your board of directors at Sanral?
But enough chit chat, let’s get to the point!
Some interesting questions and information has been in circulation of late, with some specific items that I would like to raise with you directly.
1. Is it true that Sanral's Electronic Toll Collection (ETC) is currently involved in litigation with the majority of its sub-contractors over contractual issues? Surely all contracts would have been done and dusted shortly after the Tenders were awarded?
Could it be that there are still contracts between Sanral and its sub-contractors that are in dispute and not finalised as yet? As Sanral is a state-owned entity, this might be something that needs to be raised for clarification with the minister of transport, at the first parliamentary session, after the elections.
2. Before GORT was introduced, what kind of e-tags were being used on the Open Road Tolling (ORT) that was already in place (Bakwena Toll Plaza etc)? Were they RFID Tags? We know that Gauteng Open Road Tolling makes use of DSRC Tags.
So do the people who make use of the “old” ORT like Bakwena Plaza, have to buy and use two separate tags (both the RFID and DSRC ones)?
Your comments would be appreciated.
Kind regards
Jason Fivaz
- Fin24
Do you have information that could shed light on the questions posed by Jason Fivaz. Send it us.
* 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.
He asked Fin24 to publish his response and open letter. He writes:
Mr Alli
My open letter to you of May 6 2014 refers.
It has come to my attention that a media group has contacted Sanral in respect of my open letter to you, and asked for Sanral’s comment on the content of the letter. It has also been confirmed that Sanral has told the media group that it has been dealing directly with me, and will not engage with me on a media platform.
I do believe this to be untrue Mr Alli, as you have only provided a very limited response to my letter written to you on January 23 2014, which included some of those written prior to that date as well. Since then I cannot trace any other letters from you.
Sanral’s reluctance to engage with a member of the public on the issues of e-tolling is a matter of serious concern to me, as Sanral is a state-owned entity, and should be held to account to the tax-paying public.
Sanral’s approach to this matter also just leads me to believe that there could be even greater substance to my questions. Why else would you not want to engage with me on a public platform?
They are only questions after all, and all I seek is your confirmation as to whether or not there is any substance to them. Our constitution allows us to ask questions, Mr Alli.
So, to make this easier, may I expand my question to you a little?
Mr Alli,
I have heard rumours said to be emanating from within your organisation that Sanral's Electronic Toll Collection (ETC) is currently involved in legal disputes or litigation with the majority of its sub-contractors over contractual issues.
Is this true?
Surely all contracts would have been done and dusted shortly after the tenders were awarded?
Could it be that there are still contracts between Sanral and its sub-contractors that are in dispute and not finalised as yet?
It is an open secret that Sanral’s contractors will not be able to openly confirm or deny any of these questions, because of the onerous and severe penalties that could be imposed upon them due to the restraints of trade/non-disclosure agreements Sanral made them sign.
Why all the secrecy, Mr Alli? Neither Sanral nor Gauteng Open Road Tolling is a national key point.
As Sanral is a state-owned entity, this is something that I will be raising with both the Democratic Alliance and the Economic Freedom Fighters for clarification with the minister of transport, at the first parliamentary session.
Your comments would be appreciated (but know that I will be placing them in the public domain, as this is a matter for all South Africans to be aware of).
Kind regards
Jason Fivaz
Here is the initial open letter sent by Fin24 to Sanral representatives for comment:
Hi Mr Alli
An open letter to you.
You haven’t answered any of my previous emails yet. These are questions that the people of Gauteng need answered!
In fact that is also very concerning is that the chairperson of Sanral has not answered any of my emails to her either. Is everything okay between you and your board of directors at Sanral?
But enough chit chat, let’s get to the point!
Some interesting questions and information has been in circulation of late, with some specific items that I would like to raise with you directly.
1. Is it true that Sanral's Electronic Toll Collection (ETC) is currently involved in litigation with the majority of its sub-contractors over contractual issues? Surely all contracts would have been done and dusted shortly after the Tenders were awarded?
Could it be that there are still contracts between Sanral and its sub-contractors that are in dispute and not finalised as yet? As Sanral is a state-owned entity, this might be something that needs to be raised for clarification with the minister of transport, at the first parliamentary session, after the elections.
2. Before GORT was introduced, what kind of e-tags were being used on the Open Road Tolling (ORT) that was already in place (Bakwena Toll Plaza etc)? Were they RFID Tags? We know that Gauteng Open Road Tolling makes use of DSRC Tags.
So do the people who make use of the “old” ORT like Bakwena Plaza, have to buy and use two separate tags (both the RFID and DSRC ones)?
Your comments would be appreciated.
Kind regards
Jason Fivaz
- Fin24
Do you have information that could shed light on the questions posed by Jason Fivaz. Send it us.
* 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.
