July - the month government has earmarked for the implementation of e-tolling on Gauteng's highways - is fast approaching, and citizens and businesses have only a few days left to make their voices heard on the controversial system.
This follows transport minister Ben Martins and the South African National Roads Agency's (Sanral's) publication of the draft regulations and notices relating to the Gauteng Freeway Improvement Project for public comment last month.
The regulations and notices were published in the Government Gazette (36479) on 24 May, with the ensuing 30 days given for interested parties to submit written comments on the draft documents to government. This means Monday, 24 June, is the last day to do so.
Regulation dissection
The Opposition to Urban Tolling Alliance (Outa) maintains it is important for all individuals and businesses that will be affected by the implementation of what the alliance believes is an unjust, exorbitant and impractical system to voice their opinions and concerns.
"It is imperative that the public does comment on the toll tariffs or exemption notices. Have your say, SA."
Outa has broken down the various elements of government's proposed e-toll tariffs and related regulation proposals into seven sections, accompanied by links to relevant e-mail templates for people to respond to respective components, being:
1. Tariffs at the various gantries, rates for different users and discounts for different times of the day (Gazette pages 3 to 17);
2. The e-toll registration process and definitions of various user categories, registration process and terms and payment process for use of freeways (pages 18 to 33);
3. Specifications pertaining to the camera equipment and methods of affixing an e-tag (pages 34 to 38);
4. Who will be exempted from paying tolls and the procedures to conduct this process (pages 39 to 52);
5. The options and processes of how specific users can pay for their use of Gauteng's freeways (pages 53 to 59);
6. Classification of public transport and emergency vehicles (pages 60 to 63); and
7. The specific meaning of signage employed to regulate e-tolls (pages 64 to 80).
To access the e-mail pages Outa has prepopulated with the corresponding recipient for response to the specific authority, go to the alliance's Web site. "All you need to do is insert your objection and click send," says Outa.
Ready to roll
Sanral maintains it is ready to implement Gauteng's e-tolling system, which will go live via the 49 gantries spread across the province as soon as president Jacob Zuma signs the Transport Laws and Related Matters Amendment Bill - otherwise known as the E-toll Bill - adopted by the National Council of Provinces in mid-May.
Sanral CEO Nazir Alli says Sanral has followed all due process and has all necessary infrastructure in place to commence. "Once all the legislative requirements have been met, we will implement."
Sanral recently stepped up its marketing campaign in an attempt to get more South African motorists "e-tagged". Alli encourages those who have not yet registered for e-tags to do so "now".
OUTA's appeal against e-tolling is still set to be heard in the Supreme Court of Appeal in Bloemfontein on 25 and 26 September.
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