Transport minister Dipuo Peters has strongly condemned what she terms attempts to destabilise the SA National Roads Agency's (Sanral's) operations, calling the individuals responsible for three threats - in the space of six days last week - "backward and uncivilised".
This follows a bomb threat at Sanral's Central Operations Centre (COC), in Midrand, yesterday, and comes after two anthrax scares, just three days apart, forced the large government building that houses e-toll systems to be evacuated and staff sent for medical examinations last week.
Jamie Surkont, CEO of the company tasked with running e-tolls - Electronic Tolling Collection - assured road users in a statement that the e-toll system remained operational throughout yesterday's bomb scare and consequent security sweep.
"The system, as per the previous threats, remains operational, with limited services, such as the call centre, affected. All systems are successfully being monitored from the backup facilities."
Causing anxiety
Peters has called on law enforcement authorities to act swiftly in their investigation to identify those responsible for the threats against the roads agency and its employees.
She says the attack is one that is not only on Sanral - but also on SA's Constitution, "which guarantees peace and security for all citizens of our republic".
In previous instances, Sanral's COC was evacuated and the e-toll call centre temporarily severed last week (on Tuesday and Friday afternoons) after a "powdery substance" was sent to the building.
The agency did not give details as to how the substance was delivered, but confirmed it had been tested and deemed harmless.
However, employees are said to have suffered mental distress. Sanral has assured the transport minister that affected personnel are receiving the necessary help in dealing with the threats the agency has received over the past week.
Sanral CEO Nazir Alli has also condemned the threats and appealed to those responsible to consider the anxiety and fear these type of instances instils in the agency's employees - many of whom he says are young, first-time workers.
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