As the outcry and controversy over government's open road tolling system persist, the Department of Transport (DOT) has introduced concessions to encourage motorists to pay their e-toll bills.
The carrot-and-stick approach comes in the wake of an announcement by the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) that it has appointed two prosecutors to work with the SA National Roads Agency (Sanral), to establish whether non-compliant motorists have committed an offence in terms of the Sanral Act.
Transport minister Dipuo Peters said in her budget vote speech yesterday that ongoing reviews of the system had prompted the department to introduce certain concessions. Over a million motorists have failed to pay their e-toll bills, according to Justice Project SA (JPSA).
Peters says the DOT continues to conduct reviews of the progress being made and the challenges experienced since the introduction of the Gauteng Freeway Improvement Project and the system contrived to finance the multibillion-rand project, e-tolling.
"Through these regular reviews, we have been able to introduce certain relief measures to lessen the burden on users." These would include exemptions for public transport, medical services and people living with disabilities, she says.
The DOT and Sanral have introduced a "reprieve for affected motorists" in the form of an extension of the payment period - from seven days to 51 - as well as time of day discounts. Registered motorists will get a 48% e-tag holder discount, time of day and frequent user discounts and a R450 calendar month cap for light vehicles.
Peters reiterated the user pay principle remains government's policy and "no review of neither the policy nor the legislation governing urban tolling or any other tolling have been undertaken".
Criminal activity
Meanwhile, the e-toll review instituted by Gauteng premier David Makhura late last monthkicks off tomorrow, when the 15-member panel meets for the first time to start its four-month discussions and investigation into the socio-economic impact of the system.
At the time of Makhura's State of the Province announcement, the Opposition to Urban Tolling Alliance put pressure on Sanral to come clean about its prosecution plans. The roads agency has not to date issued a statement on the matter, but NPA spokesperson Nathi Mncube has confirmed the authority's plans to investigate non-paying motorists.
Sanral says while it will cooperate with the NPA, it will not comment on issues relating to criminal prosecution, as "prosecution is a function that falls within the purview of the justice authorities".
JPSA says the criminal trial and prosecution of over a million motorists is unrealistic, given that the two appointed prosecutors are operating in an already overburdened criminal justice system.
JPSA chairman Howard Dembovsky notes Sanral's "strategy" of prosecuting e-toll defaulters in criminal courts relies heavily on convictions being attained by the NPA. "Since SA does still have a Constitution and functional courts, convictions for this 'offence' are not a foregone conclusion."
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