If e-tolling can be replaced with an increase on the fuel levy temporarily, then this solution can also be made permanent, says the Democratic Alliance (DA).
Media reports say the Gauteng ANC's discussion paper on public transport and infrastructure, which is being thrashed out this week, appears to suggest a major change in the Gauteng ANC's policy on e-tolling.
This is because the ruling party says consideration should be given to raising the fuel levy as "an interim measure" to pay for improvements to the province's freeways.
Business contribution
E-tolling has been pushed by government as the method to collect fees to fund the Gauteng Freeway Improvement Project (GFIP). However, there has been large-scale rejection of the system, because its operation costs are too high.
An interdict was recently granted by the North Gauteng High Court against e-tolling until the completion of a full judicial review, but National Treasury is currently appealing the ruling.
For this reason, the ANC in Gauteng also proposed a "once-off'' contribution from companies making "super profits" in the province. The contributions will be used to help Sanral ease its financial burdens.
The DA is concerned by this suggestion, saying the once-off tax on businesses is extremely risky as it opens the door to fleecing private business to cover government inadequacies on an ongoing basis, which would cause businesses to close and jobs to be lost.
The documents add that the impasse over e-tolling could damage the reputation of government and the ruling party, both in terms of electoral support and SA's international credit rating, according to media reports.
Dogged persistence
DA Gauteng transport spokesperson Neil Campbell says the rethink on e-tolling is welcome and encouraging.
“However, what is missing from their thinking is that the tax on fuel must be ring-fenced. They advance the suggestion as a 'temporary' solution, but if it can work temporarily it can work permanently.”
He adds that the DA is also concerned about the ANC's long-term suggestion that secondary roads should be tolled, as this would require far more capital outlay than the entire GFIP and will merely compound the problem.
“The dogged persistence of Cabinet, to push ahead with unpopular e-tolling, is illogical unless there are benefits for some influential cadres from the toll collection company, its affiliates or its subsidiaries.
“If the ANC is serious about abandoning e-tolls then government must stop the e-toll collection contract and withdraw from the expensive constitutional court challenge, which is being fought with taxpayers' money.”
Stakeholder engagements
The Opposition to Urban Tolling Alliance, which applied for the interdict against e-tolling and is currently challenging it in court, has continuously argued for the fuel levy to be used to fund the freeway improvements.
An inter-ministerial committee, headed by deputy president Kgalema Motlanthe, has been engaging with stakeholders around the issue of e-tolling.
It met with the South African Council of Churches (SACC) this week and a joint statement says the religious leaders welcomed the GFIP and saw it as an important infrastructure project that will improve SA's economic activity, as well as the lives of the people using the highways.
“The SACC, however, was of the view that there was insufficient consultation on the project. While the SACC accepted the rationale of the GFIP as part of the strategy to decongest the roads, they expressed concerns at the state of public transport and urged government to take urgent steps to provide a reliable, efficient and quality public transport system.”
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