Legislation change for e-tolling?

The Road Act may need to be updated in order to address the e-tolling dispute, according to the Department of Transport (DOT).

The department is preparing a summit to discuss the future of SA's roads, including the e-tolling controversy, according to director-general George Mahlalela.

The SA National Roads Agency Limited (Sanral) last week presented its annual report for 2010/11 to the Transport Parliamentary Portfolio Committee.

Democratic Alliance (DA) shadow deputy minister of transport, Manny de Freitas, said the automobile systems were “in chaos” due to e-tolling.

He said private motorists and emergency vehicles had not budgeted for the tariffs that would be imposed through the Gauteng open road toll system.

Sanral CEO Nazir Alli said there is an economic impact report available, in addition to several external studies, which agreed with Sanral figures.

However, De Freitas said the reality is that the public was not informed on time about the tariffs for the toll roads. It is not so much a question of what the public would have to pay as the fact that they were just not advised on time. The public does not generally have spare money to meet unforeseen expenses, said De Freitas.

Mahlalela explained that the issue was not about whether the tolls were needed or not, but the conditions of the secondary roads. He stated that, in future, a way had to be found to fund the project and transfer skills, and this issue was to be debated at the upcoming summit.

He also suggested it was necessary to extend the debate with the stakeholders, and raise the question of whether there was a need for a new Road Act.

The future of South African road tariffs must be debated and the DOT is currently preparing for the summit so issues like this can be looked at further, he said.

The Gauteng Freeway Improvement Project's e-tolling system is set to commence in February 2012, after the approval and gazetting of tariffs by the transport ministry and registration of e-tags by motorists, said Sanral.

Alli noted that tariffs had initially been set in February 2011, but were later suspended. In March, a steering committee was established to review tariffs following political and public resistance. In July, the steering committee report was submitted to minister Sibusiso Ndebele.

Cabinet approved revised tariffs in August 2011, and it is expected that the tolls will start operating on 1 February.

Sanral had agreements with fleetbanks to assist with distribution and management of e-tags. Large fleets had direct agreements with Sanral to manage their own tags and payments. Initial registration was done through a predefined template on bulk registration, according to the agency.

It adds that routine road maintenance is done all the time on the toll roads, and the repairing of potholes is done within 48 hours. Periodic maintenance will be attended to every seven to eight years.

Money lent for toll roads is currently close to R30 billion.

Alli outlined Sanral's key priorities for 2011/12, which involve the asset maintenance of national roads and the incorporation of some roads, as requested by provinces, into the national road network.

Toll roads would be pursued in Gauteng, the N1/N2 Winelands and the N2 Wild Coast.

In Ugu District Municipality and Vulamehlo Local Municipality, in KwaZulu Natal, a bridge was built over the uMkomazi River, at a cost of R40 million. There were some challenges to this project, due to the delays in amendment of legislation on the e-toll system and resistance to use of alternative funding sources, said Alli.

Sanral set up an Enforcement Unit, which will deal not only with toll infringements, but other traffic violations as well.

It was noted that the agency had assisted with the development of small enterprises, and awarded about 72% of contracts for maintenance to black enterprises, while about 20% was awarded to contractors who were dealing with empowerment, training and support.