Cape Town - The SA National Roads Agency Limited (Sanral) has no reason to fabricate e-tag sales figures, as alleged by the Opposition to Urban Tolling Alliance (Outa), spokesperson Vusi Mona told Fin24.
"As a state-owned entity, everything we do is subject to audit processes by both the auditor general and our external auditors," Mona said.
"We have no reason to fabricate these figures as Outa alleges."
Sanral said nearly 900 000 e-tags have been issued to motorists in Gauteng.
However, Outa chairperson Wayne Duvenage said from its own study, the organisation believed the number of e-tags sold was only around 350 000.
Outa said its research found that only 15% of freeway users were tagged, while 9% of vehicles counted off the freeway were tagged.
Mona said Sanral would not attach any value to Outa's study, unless the methods it used are found to be sound.
"We don’t know what equipment has been used, which technical specifications and standards it complies with and where it has been installed."
Duvenage told Fin24 that it does not need physical equipment to count e-tags on vehicles.
"E-tags are installed according to Sanral’s instructions and are clearly visible for manual counting through observation-based research."
He said Outa continues to expand its research to other areas of the network, and the e-tag count on freeway users remains below 20%.
"We are very happy to share our physical count data."
Duvenage also challenged Sanral to make available its information.
"Where is the transparency, and what do they have to lose if they grant this request?
"They are a state-owned entity using taxpayers' money to issue information which we have the right to know," he said.
- Fin24
"As a state-owned entity, everything we do is subject to audit processes by both the auditor general and our external auditors," Mona said.
"We have no reason to fabricate these figures as Outa alleges."
Sanral said nearly 900 000 e-tags have been issued to motorists in Gauteng.
However, Outa chairperson Wayne Duvenage said from its own study, the organisation believed the number of e-tags sold was only around 350 000.
Outa said its research found that only 15% of freeway users were tagged, while 9% of vehicles counted off the freeway were tagged.
Mona said Sanral would not attach any value to Outa's study, unless the methods it used are found to be sound.
"We don’t know what equipment has been used, which technical specifications and standards it complies with and where it has been installed."
Duvenage told Fin24 that it does not need physical equipment to count e-tags on vehicles.
"E-tags are installed according to Sanral’s instructions and are clearly visible for manual counting through observation-based research."
He said Outa continues to expand its research to other areas of the network, and the e-tag count on freeway users remains below 20%.
"We are very happy to share our physical count data."
Duvenage also challenged Sanral to make available its information.
"Where is the transparency, and what do they have to lose if they grant this request?
"They are a state-owned entity using taxpayers' money to issue information which we have the right to know," he said.
- Fin24