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Johannesburg - Claims by the South African National Roads Agency (Sanral) that 1.2 million e-tags have been "taken up" is "hogwash and intended to create the false impression that society is clamoring to become tagged", said the Opposition to Urban Tolling Alliance (Outa).
Outa said in a statement that it does not know what Sanral means by the term "taken up".
“If they are inferring that these are fitted in cars making use of the Gauteng Freeways, this is misinformation,” said Outa spokesperson John Clarke.
“We are tired of these tit-for-tat claims and have exposed Sanral’s deliberate misinformation about e-tag sales in the past.”
He said the real question should be why Sanral does not allow an independent journalist or auditor to simply take a look at their computer screen, in their operations center, where this information is readily available?
"What we would like to know is the exact percentage of e-tagged vehicles passing under the GFIP gantries (excluding the Bakwena concession), in total, by day and month to date for February," said Clarke.
"For all we know, Sanral’s numbers include tags sitting on shop shelves, storerooms and elsewhere, but they are of no use if not fitted to vehicles travelling on the Gauteng freeways.”
Clarke said it is time "to get beyond immature disputes and for Sanral to be absolutely transparent".
While Outa is opposed to this particular e-toll system, it said that is not the enemy.
"The question they should be asking is ‘why are so few people buying e-tags’ instead of disputing the evidence," said Clarke.
"One has only to read comments from readers on every online article that features e-tolling to see that Sanral has a major credibility problem.”
Outa said in a statement that it does not know what Sanral means by the term "taken up".
“If they are inferring that these are fitted in cars making use of the Gauteng Freeways, this is misinformation,” said Outa spokesperson John Clarke.
“We are tired of these tit-for-tat claims and have exposed Sanral’s deliberate misinformation about e-tag sales in the past.”
He said the real question should be why Sanral does not allow an independent journalist or auditor to simply take a look at their computer screen, in their operations center, where this information is readily available?
"What we would like to know is the exact percentage of e-tagged vehicles passing under the GFIP gantries (excluding the Bakwena concession), in total, by day and month to date for February," said Clarke.
"For all we know, Sanral’s numbers include tags sitting on shop shelves, storerooms and elsewhere, but they are of no use if not fitted to vehicles travelling on the Gauteng freeways.”
Clarke said it is time "to get beyond immature disputes and for Sanral to be absolutely transparent".
While Outa is opposed to this particular e-toll system, it said that is not the enemy.
"The question they should be asking is ‘why are so few people buying e-tags’ instead of disputing the evidence," said Clarke.
"One has only to read comments from readers on every online article that features e-tolling to see that Sanral has a major credibility problem.”
