The South African Institute of Race Relations (IRR) has warned South African National Road Agency (Sanral) of the consequences of its reported threat to obstruct the vehicle licence renewal of motorists with outstanding e-toll debts.
In a letter delivered to Sanral on 15 March, IRR pointed out that such threats were a form of citizen abuse, and stands to cause economic disruption, undermine South Africa’s prospects for recovery, and place an even greater tax burden on distressed households and businesses.
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“The warning follows the launch of the IRR’s #StopCitizenAbuse campaign last week aimed at highlighting and building resistance against abuses ranging from threats and intimidation of citizens to corruption, the abuse of taxpayer funds and the erosion of civil liberties,’ said IRR in a released statement.
IRR added that its research showed the tax burden on South Africans had risen to the highest levels in the history of the country and that many families paid more than half their income towards tax levies and secondary and tertiary taxes.
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The IRR warned that a large proportion of households have reached a point of crisis, with many no longer able to afford basic services, foodstuffs and school fees, or to settle their debts.
“Instead of seeking to extract even more money from households, the government must move towards introducing structural reforms, and remove corrupt officials from the public service and prosecute them and their enablers in the private sector,” said IRR.
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IRR urged motorists who are denied their vehicle licences because of outstanding e-toll debts to reach out to them so that they can use the information to put pressure on the Presidency and on politicians to intervene and stop such abuse of citizens.
SANRAL said it is aware than in the light of an imminent decision on e-tolls, there will be attempts by various stakeholders to influence that decision.
“The regurgitation of old stories is clearly an attempt to do that. The agency would not like to be part of this clear lobbying that is going before a decision on e-tolls is taken,” said SANRAL.
“SANRAL, like all other stakeholders, keenly awaits the announcement of the decision. Until then, the agency would prefer to stay out of the matter,” concluded SANRAL in a released statement.
