The Democratic Alliance claims that Gauteng motorists owe almost R1 billion to the South African National Roads Agency (Sanral) for driving on the province's electronic highways.
In a statement issued by the official opposition's shadow minister of transport, Manny de Freitas, the party says the amount owing is revealed in a reply to a Parliamentary question. De Freitas says this shows that "the people of South Africa continue to resoundingly reject the imposition of E-tolls in Gauteng".
De Freitas adds there are 1.13 million registered and active accounts registered to use the controversial system, although this figure has yet to be audited. He notes the agency is owed some R156.6 million, which has been outstanding for more than 90 days.
In addition, says De Freitas, motorists have yet to settle bills totalling some R995.4 million, which has been due for less than three months. However, minister Dipuo Peters' reply notes that the amounts are based on the alternative user tariff, and not the e-tag charge, which is lower.
Currently, just more than a million vehicles are fitted with e-tags.
"Considering the system only came online in early December of 2013, the level of overdue payments act as yet another indicator that motorists' on South Africa's roads continue to reject the system," says De Freitas. The Opposition to Urban Tolling Alliance has previously indicated only 40% of travellers are paying their bills.
In a bid to ensure greater compliance, Peters recently instructed the agency to hold off on prosecuting non payers, and announced several "relief measures" to ease the burden on road users, including an extension of the payment period from seven to 51 days, and discounts for those who buy tags.
This follows a call by president Jacob Zuma earlier this year to address electronic payment billing challenges in Gauteng, and make it easier for people to comply, as well as the launch of an e-tolls advisory panel, initiated by newly-appointed Gauteng premier David Makhura recently.
Peters' carrot-and-stick approach comes in the wake of an announcement by the National Prosecuting Authority that it has appointed two prosecutors to work with Sanral to establish whether non-compliant motorists have committed an offence in terms of the Sanral Act.
Sanral was not immediatly able to comment.
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