Government has declared war on the citizens of South Africa, as it has shown it is not prepared to listen to their views on e-tolling, says an anti-e-tolls lobby group.
Justice Project SA chairman Howard Dembovsky says the position taken by transport minister Dipuo Peters shows the e-toll review process has become the centrepiece of a political power struggle, with one level of government undermining another.
Peters earlier this week stated the user-pays principle would not be reviewed and government would not change its stance on e-tolls, even if the review panel finds that the system should be scrapped.
The review panel was announced by Gauteng premier David Makhura, amid large-scale opposition to e-tolling and was mandated to assess the socio-economic impact of the system. However, Peters recently distanced herself from the panel and has downplayed the role of the review, even before the process has been finalised.
Peters' dismissal of the review having any real impact on e-tolling comes after reports of an instruction handed down by Luthuli House, in which South African National Roads Agency (Sanral) and transport officials were instructed by ANC secretary-general Gwede Mantashe to not co-operate with the e-toll panel review.
Dembovsky this morning described the move as "distasteful", and questioned how Mantashe, who is not a member of Parliament, could give instructions to Cabinet. "It shows clearly that Mantashe is the political puppet master and that Parliament and Cabinet are merely window-dressing.
"What makes Sanral and the Department of Transport take unlawful instructions from someone who is not their boss?"
Undermining democracy
Peters has done South Africans a disfavour by dismissing the review panel even before it has completed the review process, or before it has even submitted a report of its findings, says Dembovsky.
However, he says the move also has potentially dire consequences for the country's democracy. "I would like to know what government's national executive committee's stance is on national government undermining provincial premiers. This is one level of government disrespecting another."
Dembovsky says Peters has essentially drawn the battle lines. "If it's war she wants, it's war she will get. She has clearly underestimated people's resolve to oppose e-tolling, and there are people who are willing to be jailed, if Sanral ever manages to successfully prosecute anyone."
Furthermore, Dembovsky reiterates that e-tolling has collapsed as a collection mechanism, and says "it's a huge pity that government and Peters have made such unfortunate public statements", in terms of the review panel.
Out of touch
Meanwhile, the Opposition to Urban Tolling Alliance (Outa) has expressed concern at Peters' comments that e-tolls would not be scrapped, saying this means Makhura's efforts must now be considered as a waste of time.
"Why on earth would the ANC give their blessing to the Gauteng premier's initiative, if indeed the minister appears to be intent on rejecting the pertinent and valuable information expected to come from this exercise, before it has been examined?" says Outa chairperson Wayne Duvenage.
Outa says these statements are indicative of a government that is "out of touch with its people and the reality of the situation at hand". "Quite frankly, the decision related to the continuation and success of e-tolls is one that has more to do with what the people say about this unjust policy, and less about what the authorities think that matters. It is doomed to fail," adds Duvenage.
The Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu) has, meanwhile, urged Peters to give the e-tolls review panel a chance. In addition, provincial secretary Dumisani Dakile announced the organisation would launch a protest against e-tolling next month, where its members would burn e-tags and bills in front of Sanral's Pretoria offices.
False hope
But Department of Transport spokesperson Tiyani Rikhotso says e-toll opponents' statements - that Peters is essentially saying the review process is a waste of time - are out of line.
He says Makhura was clear from the start that the e-toll panel was set up purely for the sake of a socio-economic assessment of the project - rather than a review with an aim to scrapping the system.
"The statement made by [Peters] is nothing new. From the beginning it was clear that the provincial process would have no bearing on national legislation. There has been a lot of false hope created, but there has never been any [insinuation] that the e-toll system would be scrapped."
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