Government is being tackled for misleading Gauteng commuters by claiming it has lowered e-toll rates, and the bulk of motorists will not pay more than R100 a month to travel around the province.
This comes after the publication of the latest e-toll tariffs last Thursday, which show that drivers of light vehicles will pay 58c a kilometre without an e-tag, and the discounted rate for tag-holders will be 30c a kilometres.
A day after the gazette was published, Cabinet stated: "E-toll tariffs have been reduced in response to public comment; poor passengers have been taken care of through the exemption of public transport operators from paying toll fees; a monthly payment cap has been introduced; and a rebate system exists for transport companies."
However, the standard tariff has been unchanged since August 2011, while the e-tag cost was last decreased in November 2012.
The gazette also claims that 82% of those with light vehicles will not pay more than R100 a month to use Gauteng's freeways. However, it has yet to provide figures to show how it worked out this percentage.
No change
Opposition to Urban Tolling Alliance (Outa) chairman Wayne Duvenage says the recently-published e-tag tariff is the same as it was in the prior two iterations. He says Cabinet's statement is "extremely misleading".
Duvenage says it is "shocking" how government is trying to hoodwink the public in what he views as a push to compel motorists to buy e-tags. Both the Department of Transport and the South African National Roads Agency (Sanral) - which oversees the project - have been urging the public to get tagged.
Last week, the department called "on the public to register for e-tolling and obtain tags in order for them to access discounts and other benefits due to tag-holders". This Sunday, Sanral took out several full-page advertisements extolling the benefits of a tag.
Cabinet has also added its voice to the call: "Cabinet calls on users of Gauteng's freeways to abide by the law, demonstrate good citizenship and make their contribution to a better South Africa by registering for e-tags and paying for use of these world-class roads."
Currently, there are around 600 000 tags in circulation, compared with about four million cars on SA's freeways, of which Sanral expects 2.5 million to use the highways that fall under the Gauteng Freeway Improvement Project. The actual number of e-tags that have been sold is highly contested, as the number has varied without explanation.
Duvenage adds that the gazetted tariffs, open for comment for 30 days from 9 October, are complicated and difficult to understand. He cites the phased discounts leading up to the R450 a month cap as one example.
No proof
Howard Dembovsky, chairman of the non-profit Justice Project SA, concurs that the rates are identical to those published before this gazette. The October publication could be the last chance for the public to comment as e-tolls are expected to go live in time for the festive season. "It's all eyewash."
Dembovsky says there are other misleading statements made by government, such as the claim that 82% of motorists will pay less than R100 a month. He points out that government has not provided actual figures, and there is no way to determine if this is the case.
When it comes to the cap, Dembovsky explains that this applies per car, and households with more than one vehicle, or those people who commute alternating between a car and a motorbike, will pay multiples of the cap.
In addition, says Dembovsky, the state has been using light vehicles in its cap example, while heavy-goods vehicles will pay more. This mode of transport is capped at R3 500, he points out.
Dembovsky says that if one leaves out factors when compiling statistics, one can present whatever percentages or figures one wants.
Not misleading
Acting Cabinet spokesperson Phumla Williams is not sure if Cabinet's claim was misleading because, at the time of writing the statement on 10 October, the new rates had been gazetted.
Williams points out that, in August 2011, rates were revised from the February 2011 charge, while e-tag costs were dropped last February by the minister of finance, Pravin Gordhan.
During the 2012 budget speech, Gordhan said: "I am mindful that the introduction of tolling to finance the Gauteng Freeway Improvement Programme has caused considerable public reaction." He said Treasury had listened to the public, and that R5.8 billion would be pumped into the project to trim the debt and offer a deeper discount.
"So when compared to the August 2011, these rates have been revised for the e-tag users," says Williams.
Government has previously been accused of lying over toll fees when, after the August 2011 figures were published, it stated the tariffs had been cut but neglected to point out that the cost it was punting was for e-tag users.
Department of Transport spokesperson Tiyani Rikhotso did not respond to a request for comment and also could not be reached this morning. Transport minister Dipou Peters will consider the public inputs before making a final tariff determination and is also set to announce an implementation date.
The gazette can be accessed here.
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