Johannesburg - A court case where a man was fined R20 000 for altering his number plates to avoid paying e-tolls had nothing to do with whether he paid the toll or not, said the Opposition to Urban Tolling Alliance (Outa).
Instead, it was about Sanral "milking the situation", it said.
"Sanral's behaviour in this regard smacks of a highly opportunistic tactic, borne out of their desperation to try and create fear in the mind of road users who have not paid their e-toll bills," the anti-tolling group said in a statement released on Thursday.
"The mere fact that they will capitalise on this case is an expression of their unethical tactics to hijack a case in which there has been an unlawful act by an irresponsible motorist, who used false number plates on his vehicle to try and escape the consequences of his wrongful behaviour."
Earlier on Thursday in the Pretoria Magistrate's Court, Eyewitness News reported that Stoyan Stoychev pleaded guilty to 987 counts of failing to pay e-tolls, a count for each gantry he drove under without paying.
Don’t break the law
He would also have to pay the SA National Roads Agency Limited (Sanral) R13 200 in outstanding toll fees. From December 2013 until March 2014, he reportedly used the freeway, but did not pay the fees.
Between March and August he used an altered plate and between August and October he used a false number plate. A fake plate he used allegedly belonged to another motorist who was registered for e-tolls.
Outa said clearly, since Stoychev's reputation was at stake, he was in a "somewhat vulnerable and weak bargaining position", which saw him capitulate on his e-toll bill situation.
"The incident illustrates what Outa has been saying all along; do not break the law by using cloned or false number-plates," it said.
On Friday, Sanral spokesperson Vusi Mona said the court's decision was a victory for law enforcement and abidance to the e-toll system.
He said Outa's accusation that Sanral had hijacked the case for its own purposes was disingenuous.
"It should be noted that Stoychev was charged with two counts: One - fraud, which pertained to the number plate issues including cloning," Mona said.
"Two - the non-payment or evasion of tolls which consisted of 987 individual charges... Sanral has an obligation to report crime, whether a break-in at their offices or a cloned number plate."
‘Incitement to commit crime’
Sanral believed all citizens had such a responsibility. It reported a crime and the law took its course.
Mona quoted prosecutor David Broughton, who said prior to sentencing on Thursday: "It is a notorious fact that some within our society have vociferously in the public domain urged the public to refuse to comply with the legislation pertaining to the e-toll system"
"This is clear incitement to commit a crime and is intended to render the e-toll system unworkable.”