There seems to be no end in sight for the e-toll uproar, with the SA National Road Agency (Sanral) yesterday inciting a fresh bout of antagonism by stating e-tolling was set to commence in Gauteng within the next two months.
However, with characteristically lengthy legal and Parliamentary processes wedged between now and the final implementation of open road tolling in the province, opposition factions say this timeframe is unrealistic, if not impossible.
Some suggest government intends taking shortcuts and rubber-stamping processes to rush e-tolling to fruition, all in the name of financial turnover.
The Department of Transport (DOT), to which state-owned Sanral reports, says, however, that these claims are "absurd and disingenuous" given that the matter rests in Parliament's hands.
Ardent opposition
The Democratic Alliance (DA), Opposition to Urban Tolling Alliance (OUTA) and Congress of SA Trade Unions (Cosatu) have spoken out strongly against the road agency's latest public announcement, with the latter vowing more protest action over the coming weeks.
OUTA this morning released a statement refuting certain claims of e-tag success made by Sanral, and questioning the verity of the agency's latest confidence in the imminence of e-toll implementation.
The alliance's chairperson, Wayne Duvenage, says Sanral cannot vouch for due process being followed and questions its two-month timeframe. He suspects there may be some rubber-stamping at play, with government running roughshod over the process.
The Transport Laws and Related Matters Amendment Bill, which will enable the implementation of e-tolling in Gauteng, is currently at the National Council of Provinces (NCOP). The pending law will now have to be sent to affected provinces, in this case Gauteng, where it will be voted on in the legislature, after which it will be read a second time by the NCOP, before being read again by Parliament. Should the houses pass the law, it will then come into effect when president Jacob Zuma signs it.
Punctured process
Duvenage says he already sees holes in the process. "Have the comments that were issued by certain organisations - requested by the authorities - even been seen by the NCOP or are they just rubber-stamping it through? If they are not going to take the written opposition - even at this late stage - into account, then they are falling short of their responsibilities."
He notes significant opposition to e-tolling within Parliament itself. "Every other political party opposes e-tolling and the only way government is getting its way is through a majority. This wouldn't be possible if Parliament wasn't so heavily weighted in favour of the ANC. They have no friends on e-tolling. Every single other political party is vociferously opposed."
The repercussions of forcing an issue so strongly opposed by society, says Duvenage, are massive. "If [government] wants to go against society, they need to be prepared for the backlash, non-compliance and the bringing down of their credit rating. When you force something that is so irrational and unjustified, things get messy."
Neil Campbell, the DA's roads and transport spokesman, says he is concerned about how e-tolling is being pushed through. If the ANC-led government attempts to shortcut the process, he says, the DA will protest.
Campbell says there are numerous holes in the whole saga, which has also not seen the transparency a project of this magnitude demands. "The only reason there is this sense of urgency is that someone, somewhere, stands to get a lot of money out of it."
Absurd allegations
DOT spokesperson Tiyani Rikhotso says claims that government is steering e-tolls as it desires are irrational. "The responsibility of processing legislation is a competency of Parliament alone. It's, therefore, absurd and disingenuous for people to suggest that government is rubber-stamping/taking shortcuts regarding the implementation of e-tolling.
"We have done all that was required of us as government and we await Parliament to finalise the legislative process."
He says Sanral's two-month estimation is premised on the programmes of both Houses of Parliament. "It's puzzling how those who are not responsible for the implementation of the project can suddenly make a call on how long it would take to implement e-tolling."
Rikhotso concluded by encouraging motorists to "go out and get their e-tags and take advantage of the due discounts in preparation for the imminent implementation".
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