The Democratic Alliance (DA) today submitted and application through the Promotion of Access to Information Act (PAIA) to the South African National Roads Agency Limited (Sanral) to gain access to all documentation relating to the contract for services between Sanral, Kapsch TrafficCom, and the Electronic Toll Collection (ETC) joint venture.
This comes after Kapsch, the Austrian maker of toll-road systems, said it would get an annual revenue boost of more than EUR50 million euros (R672.5 million) from Gauteng e-tolls.
Ian Ollis, DA shadow minister of transport, says: "Despite whatever Sanral may claim, we know that at least some of the money will leave our shores. We do not, however, know how much and therefore the need for this PAIA application."
Ollis says Sanral has maintained that e-tolls were justified because money was required for road maintenance in SA. "From Kapsch's announcement, it would appear that e-tolling will have little benefit for SA other than fattening a foreign company's bank balance."
"South Africans have a right to know what the contractual obligations of Sanral are towards ETC and Kapsch TrafficCom. If e-tolls are necessary for road maintenance and infrastructure, every South African deserves to know how much of their money will be used for this and how much ends up in who's pocket."
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