Eastleigh businessman takes Sanral to court
“If I were to pay e-tolls it would be likely that I would be forced to close my business which would mean 30 families would be without an income.”
Eastleigh businessman Verna Naidoo is one of several business owners who has sought legal action against South African National Roads Agency Limited (Sanral).
Also read: Sanral comments on businessman’s intention to go to court
Naidoo was informed, this year, by Sanral that he owes the agency approximately R1.8-million.
He said he will be represented in court by Organisation Undoing Tax Abuse (Outa) in a civil case next year.
Naidoo’s decision to go to court came after he received a summons in 2016 to pay over R400 000 in e-toll tariffs.
He then contacted OUTA for assistance.
Also read: DA calls for probe, Sanral responds
As the owner of logistics company Thandahani Transport, Naidoo said he paid e-toll tariffs when the system was first introduced.
“My whole life I have been a law-abiding citizen. I paid the tariffs because I thought it was the right thing to do.”
He said as controversy about e-toll payments grew, he decided to stop paying the tariffs until the system was finalised.
Naidoo said another reason why he stopped paying was that he could not afford the “huge costs” of the e-toll tariffs.
“Depending on the workload, we have at least six trucks on the road at any given time,” said Naidoo.
“I have about 30 staff members and I am already struggling to make ends meet.”
The cost of e-toll tariffs is an additional expense to the business which already needs to pay staff, fuel, maintenance and the trucks’ licence disks.
Also read: Sanral says it does have cash
Naidoo said because of increasing economic pressures the company does not operate every day of the week.
“If I were to pay e-tolls, I would likely have to close my business and 30 families would be without an income.”
Naidoo said everything South Africans use and consume is affected by e-tolls.
“Unless we live completely off the land, we are all affected by the e-tolls some way.”
Naidoo said overall, he is quite disappointed about e-tolls.
He personally does not believe that there was enough public participation when the idea was first introduced into South Africa.
