Opponents of e-tolling in Gauteng have mainly given the e-tolls advisory panel the thumbs up, saying it has by and large fulfilled its mandate and managed to stimulate proper public debate on the much-maligned system.
The 15-member panel was appointed in July by the province's premier, David Makhura, to assess the socio-economic impact of the Gauteng Freeway Improvement Project and e-tolling in Gauteng, wrapping up its sessions last week.
The last to present to the panel last week were representatives of the South African National Roads Agency (Sanral), National Treasury and the Department of Transport - including transport minister Dipuo Peters.
Yesterday, Makhura noted the Gauteng executive council received an update report from the advisory panel, adding the panel is expected to submit its final report to him by the end of this month. He would then table the report before the executive council for its consideration.
Makhura also yesterday defended the panel, saying he is happy with the work it had done so far and stated the panel had not been a waste of time, adding its work was important to the province. During the past month, various political parties and other prominent figures have criticised the panel for not having any real impact on e-tolling.
Makhura praised
However, e-toll opponents have expressed satisfaction with the advisory panel and its work. "David Makhura should be applauded for having the balls to establish the panel in the first place," says Justice Project SA chairperson Howard Dembovsky.
"The panel has successfully brought the topic of e-tolling into a public discussion, and not as one-sided lecture. This is a change from the Sanral approach that we have gotten used to, which says 'we will tell you how it is and you will shut up and listen. Your input is not welcome.'"
Dembovsky notes the panel's mandate - to assess the socio-economic impact of the Gauteng Freeway Improvement Project and e-tolling - had been very narrow, and it had successfully managed to stick to this mandate, for the large part.
"The panel has thus far done all it said it would do. Now it needs to submit its report to the premier and then it's up to the premier. Let's hope it's not a waste of time," says Dembovsky.
"From our, and the premier's, point of view, this certainly hasn't been a waste of time, even though many people have said it would be, including the DA leader in Gauteng [Mmusi Maimane], the minister of transport, and [Sanral CEO] Nazir Alli."
However, Dembovsky points out no one would have presented before the panel for three days, as the government delegation did, if the advisory panel was really a waste of time. "I have a good supply of napkins for all these people who are now eating humble pie."
Overwhelming evidence
Opposition to Urban Tolling Alliance chairperson Wayne Duvenage is also impressed with the panel's work. "Overwhelming evidence has been presented that speaks to the negative impact of e-tolling on the region.
"We hope that the panel takes all of that into account and also the fact that it is no long a user-pay principle, but only a few users-pay principle that e-tolling is based on."
Duvenage notes the panel needs to recognise e-tolling has been a massive failure in the province, and has not managed to achieve nearly enough compliance among motorists.
"This will have to have an impact on national government - especially if a genuine report is submitted by the panel, based on concerted analysis and credible findings."
However, Duvenage argues that, considering the bad financial state of e-tolling and its large-scale rejection by motorists, the minister of transport's opinion on whether the system should remain in place no longer matters. "The minister does not have to listen to the region, and it really doesn't matter to anyone what she has to say. E-tolls are dead."
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