INLSA
There are differing views on whether controversial e-tolling will be rolled out to other urban hubs, such as Durban and Cape Town.
If The controversial e-tolling system goes ahead in Gauteng it will be a matter of time before the system is rolled out to SA’s other major metros of Durban and Cape Town, according to Wayne Duvenage, chairman of the Opposition to Urban Tolling Alliance (Outa).
But Andrew Layman, chief executive of the Durban Chamber of Commerce and Industry, disagreed. He said that in the wake of the massive outcry against Gauteng e-tolling, it was “highly doubtful” the government would extend urban e-tolling to Durban and Cape Town.
Duvenage, who is also the chief executive of car rental group Avis, said there was a “very real” possibility of the SA National Roads Agency’s (Sanral) urban e-tolling plan being instituted in the other major cities, which was why Outa was being so vociferous in its campaign against allowing e-tolling to go through in Gauteng.
Outa launched legal action to try to get an urgent interdict in the Pretoria High Court yesterday to prevent Sanral from launching the e-toll system in Gauteng on April 30, the day labour federation Cosatu also plans a major strike against e-tolls.
The Road Freight Association also joined the legal proceedings brought by Outa, the South African Vehicle Renting and Leasing Association, the Quadpara Association of SA and the South African National Consumer Union against the e-tolls, as an amicus curiae (friend of the court).
“It might not happen straight away, but if e-tolling is allowed in go through in Gauteng, it is a matter of time before it will happen in Durban and Cape Town,” said Duvenage.
“When major road upgrade plans are announced for these cities, we risk e-tolling becoming a policy for financing road infrastructure in major SA metros. It could be seen as unfair and anti-competitive if e-tolling was just meant for Gauteng. We are very concerned and opposed to urban e-tolling in SA. The idea was ill-conceived and lacked consultation. It will have a major effect on the SA economy
“E-tolling in Gauteng alone, at current rates with expected escalations, will generate more than R100 billion over the next 20 years for infrastructure that costs only R32bn over the same period, according to our research. This means that about R70bn will have been overpaid by the public, which will be used just for administration and profiting from the system.”
AA spokesman Gary Ronald said the association was also concerned that if e-tolling went through in Gauteng it would be extended to other cities.
“We agree and support Outa on the issue and believe that if Sanral gets its way with e-tolling in Gauteng, then without question other major cities would get e-tolling in the future. People need to realise that this is not just a Gauteng issue and everyone needs to support the action against Sanral,” he said.
Layman, meanwhile, insisted that while e-tolling was going to have an impact on the economy, government would be “foolish” to roll it out to other major cities.
“We will have to see what happens in the court case against Sanral. Government may have to go back to the drawing board. However, the Durban Chamber is currently formulating its official policy position on tolling in SA,” he said.
