ALBERTON – Yes, it was announced by Government that as of December 3 the much-disputed E-toll system is to be brought into effect. Which means that your Christmas present from Government is yet another ill thought, poorly planned tax aimed at making the rich richer and the poor … well you get the picture.
Gone are the lazy summer days cruising the highway, playing a jam on the radio, and watching the world go by. Now it will be route planning 101, where can I get onto the highway, how far can I drive and where do get off to avoid the eye in the sky? The ever-looming gantries with their techno UV fluorescent night-lights.
Government says that this e-toll system will have a limited effect on motorists and that they have made big concessions in regards to price and of course should you get tagged, like a bull on its way to the slaughter house, the discounts would limit the cost on motorists. This sounds great only it’s not just the motorists that will be affected by this. What about the commodities that are transported by road? Food, clothing, consumables etc. surely the prices of these will have to go up in order to absorb the new toll? Or does the government believe that companies will gladly shrink their margins and shoulder the burden of this new tax?
Once again it is the community, the residents and the people of South Africa that will pay for yet another Government scandal and I say scandal because surely any project such as this should benefit the people of South Africa and not an offshore company? But beware all ye citizens, this is a slippery slope. It is these small changes and taxes that creep into society that act like a rot, a disease that spreads throughout your lives one small tax and one small policy change at a time. If we allow this to happen, we are condoning the oppression of the masses by a government that seeks to enshrine the rights of the minority. Sounds familiar?
