Complaints about erroneous SMS and e-mail communication from the SA National Roads Agency (Sanral) are pouring in - some of them bordering on the bizarre - as e-tolling nears the end of its second month in operation.
This is according to opposition party the vocally anti-toll Democratic Alliance (DA), which last week offered to take on the public's e-toll billing complaints and submit them to the National Consumer Commission (NCC). The NCC was established by the Consumer Protection Act, which came into effect in April 2011 to defend the rights of consumers.
DA Gauteng premier candidate Mmusi Maimane said last week that residents were being "unfairly bullied into paying their bills" by Sanral - which has come under fire for what many perceive to be threatening SMS and e-mail demands for e-toll payments.
Sanral, however, says the messages are a normal part of the debt collection process and that they in fact serve to benefit people in that they keep motorists in the loop as to what they owe.
Curious complaints
But, according to reports and consumer complaints, Sanral's reminder process is far from helpful as billing messages are being sent to the wrong people.
The DA says it has received over 300 e-toll billing complaints since it opened the door on the issue last week - a period of seven days.
Maimane says some of the "more bizarre" complaints the party has received include:
* A resident in the Western Cape who has not travelled on Gauteng's roads since the implementation of e-tolling. She has received two invoices to date, one of which was for a motorcycle, when in fact her only vehicle is a Corsa Lite car.
* A resident who received an SMS from Sanral to say he owes R0.00 and has been handed over to the Violations Processing Centre.
* People who do not even own vehicles or have driver's licences receiving SMSes from Sanral saying they have outstanding debt. One of these SMSes was for an amount of R1 362.63.
* Many people have received a final SMS warning without having received an official invoice.
* Gauteng residents who do not travel on tolled roads are receiving SMSes for final pay notices from Sanral.
Educating motorists
The most common complaints, he says, are people not receiving invoices, incorrect amounts for actual travel and bills going to people who have not travelled recently. "It is clear that the billing system is not working."
Sanral spokesperson Vusi Mona says many of the complaints stem from the fact that consumers do not understand how the fee structure works in terms of registered users and what the road agency classes "alternate users".
He says the roads agency is soon going to be embarking on an "education campaign" to enlighten road users around the different e-toll rates.
"The e-toll rates to 'alternate users' are applicable to defaulters or violators that refuse to pay on time or at all. Every road user has the right to get the full discounts they are entitled to through the variety of payment mechanisms available," says Sanral.
The DA once again encourages people to submit billing complaints to enocentn@da.org.za or tweet a picture of their SMS or bill to @DA_News, using the hashtag #No2etolls.
Sanral, on the other hand, is urging motorists to approach its customer centre with complaints. Discussing e-toll issues in the media space, social or otherwise, says the roads agency, will not resolve them. "Sanral urges all motorists with e-toll-related issues to please contact the Sanral call centre on 0800 726 725 in order to clarify the issue."
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