The Opposition to Urban Tolling Alliance (OUTA's) call for help in raising funds to take its appeal against government's e-toll system to the Supreme Court has seen the alliance getting in over R2 million.
This comes less than a week after the alliance appealed to the public for the R1 million it needed by 21 June, for its appeal in the Supreme Court of Appeal (SCA) in Bloemfontein on 25 and 26 September.
OUTA chairperson Wayne Duvenage says over R1.35 million has been raised from the public, in addition to the R1 million contribution the Democratic Alliance (DA) made on Friday.
Duvenage says the money influx came as a surprise. "We certainly did not expect this significant answer to our call and want to thank each and every person and organisation that took the time to contribute. The DA's injection was a huge and significant boost for us."
According to OUTA, it has taken the lobby group a year to raise R8.4 million (R6.7 million of which came from 220 businesses). "So to raise almost R2.3 million from society in less than a week was a massive sign of support for the anti e-toll cause.
"We were also moved by the many small value donations, some made as cash deposits. There were also numerous businesses that came to the fore with many R10 000 donations and a number of larger deposits, one as high as R100 000."
Meanwhile, the SA National Roads Agency (Sanral) has indicated it seeks to launch e-tolls sometime in July.
But Duvenage says the recent surge of support bears witness to society's opposition to e-tolling. "[OUTA] moves forward on a high as it prepares the heads of argument for the forthcoming court battle."
He says SA is in for "interesting" times if Sanral tries to introduce their toll plans, just two months prior to the court challenge - "which could very well rule that e-tolling must be halted".
"Sanral could find themselves in a quandary of having to refund customers, or press on with another appeal, in an ever-growing environment of rejection by society."
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