The Democratic Alliance (DA) has submitted an application to get access to the Gauteng e-tolling contract.
DA Gauteng transport spokesperson Neil Campbell says this is in terms of the Promotion of Access to Information Act.
He adds that the contract will reportedly cost about R14 billion over eight years.
“I sent the application this week to the SA National Roads Agency (Sanral) requesting the signed contract of the ETC (Electronic Toll Collections) Joint Venture Consortium.”
ETC is 85%-owned by the Austrian company Kapsch TrafficCom, with the rest owned by local partner TMT Services and Supplies.
“Sanral has refused to make public the contract with ETC, citing a confidentiality provision, but this is public money and the public have the right to know what is in it.
“We seem to be grossly overpaying for a very complicated toll collection system that could easily be replaced by a few cents extra on the fuel levy.”
Billing mess?
Motorists will have to purchase an e-tag to put on their windscreen if they want discounted toll rates, and will have to pay upfront every month or have the toll fees taken directly from their bank account, for the controversial system.
Campbell says this will probably be an administrative nightmare with disputes over bills and confusion as about 20% of licence plates are fraudulent.
“The prime motivation for getting the e-tolling contract is to see whether it will indeed cost as much as R14 billion over eight years, and whether the contract can be cancelled without too high a penalty.
“There has been too much secrecy in this deal. We need to know the truth and see if it is possible to get out of this pricey toll collection contract.”
Countdown
Cabinet last month approved reduced tariffs for e-tolling in Gauteng, which dictate motorcycles (Class A1) with e-tags will pay 24c/km; light vehicles (Class A2) will pay 40c/km; medium vehicles (Class B) 100c/km; and “longer” vehicles (Class C) 200c/km.
Qualifying commuter taxis (Class A2) and commuter busses (Class B) are completely exempt from the e-toll system.
The reduction for light vehicles without e-tags saw a drop from 66c/km, to 58c/km; and from R3.95 for heavy vehicles without e-tags to R2.95.
The e-tolling project is an open road, multilane toll infrastructure that allows tolls to be charged without drivers having to stop. There are no physical booths.
The system is expected to be implemented over the next four months.
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