The contentious issue of e-tolling continues to be met with unabated opposition, but it appears the institution of the project is on track for the near future.
The South African National Roads Agency Limited (Sanral) announced last week that the e-toll account registration process was open and that e-tags could be purchased from selected retailers, online or via its call centre.
The registration and distribution of e-tags is the first phase of the Gauteng Freeway Improvement Project (GFIP). As part of the process, consultative procedures involving the public were encouraged by the Department of Transport and duly followed by political factions and members of the public alike.
Public insult
On Friday, the Petitions Committee of the Gauteng Legislature heard the anti-toll petitions at the Johannesburg City Hall, a move that has been described by some as a farce.
Democratic Alliance (DA) Gauteng transport spokesperson Neil Campbell says there was a fair amount of resentment towards Sanral and the transport department due to the fact that the e-tag system was “surreptitiously launched”, amid a supposedly consultative process. He maintains the tolls are “a tax too far”.
“The advertising of e-tags is an insult to the public consultation process as it suggests that tolls will proceed regardless.”
While Friday's anti-toll petitions hearing was “perhaps a step in the right direction”, according to Campbell, the outcome was not what the party, as well as those opposed to increased road tariffs, were hoping for. He says it was an opportunity for the public to have its voice heard, but the future and outcome are not clear as yet.
“The event was well attended, as expected, and saw a number of suggestions and protests being made to the committee.” Campbell says the meeting, preceded by a street protest, resulted in many intelligent suggestions as to how the situation could better be managed.
Financial toll
The DA's message at the hearing was: “Scrap the tolls and save billions by cutting out the exorbitant toll collection costs.”
Campbell suggests: “Like any other contract, the toll collection contract can be cancelled, saving at least R6.6 billion, even though damages will have to be paid. The alternative is to finance the highways from a dedicated fuel levy or general taxation.”
He adds that, with Gauteng contributing 34% of the country's GDP despite having only 22% of the population, if economic growth in Gauteng is strangled through high tolls, the rest of the country will suffer.
“The other issue that is of concern is the amount of funds that will be going offshore. This is a disturbing factor and will result in knock-on effects to our economy.”
Wait and see
Campbell says his contingent has put in a request to meet with the ministers of transport and finance to discuss the party's standpoint. “We hope to get the ministers together within the next 14 days. If this does come to be, we will get a report back in mid-January and the process can be taken from there.”
He adds that the fight is largely for the man on the street. “If these tolls are instituted we are going to be a nation that is tolled to death. What the key players seem to forget is that the average man in the street can't afford to fork out these amounts of cash. R400 may not be a lot of money to them, but to many people who are struggling, that is a lot of money.
“What they also seem to have forgotten is that when this issue was being debated for tabling in the future, but hadn't gone through, our country was still economically holding up. The public was not struggling with economic recession.”
E-tag uptake
GFIP project manager Alex van Niekerk last week said the implementation of e-readers at tolls across the country was inevitable. In light of this, he encouraged road users to buy e-tags. “It is best for road users to register for now and for the future. This will be the way to get the cheapest tolls.
“We are in the ramp-up phase and South Africans are notorious for waiting up until the last minute, so we expect uptake to be slow at first, but it will gain momentum.”
Campbell says sales of the e-tag have so far been dismal, with just 300 being sold following the announcement of e-tag availability on Monday. On his part, he says, he still encourages the public not to buy e-tags. He says the process is decidedly dubious and “many are of the opinion that things have not been done properly.” He cites the transfer of the R21 and “disgraceful” state of the N12 as two cases in point.
A statement by the Department of Transport said Sanral will make all the necessary announcements with regard to GFIP phase one in due course.
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