E-toll bill is bad news

The presidency announced on Wednesday, last week, that Zuma has signed the Transport Laws and Related Matters Amendment Bill, giving the nod to the controversial e-toll system on Gauteng highways.

Ekurhuleni Business Initiative (EBI) chief executive officer, Chris van Biljoen, criticised the bill, saying it brings about a negative vibe on businesses all over the country.

EBI is at the centre of revitalizing the manufacturing and engineering sector in Ekurhuleni and van Biljoen said implementing e-tolling is “very bad news and disappointing”.

“The petrol price is forever escalating and now we have e-toll; what’s next?” asked van Biljoen.

He advised local businesses to come up with solutions to reposition themselves now that e-tolling is here.

“Business should start investigating how to do business on their doorstep; instead of travelling long distances they should opt for doing business locally,” advised van Biljoen.

The bill was signed on the same day of the Opposition to Urban Tolling Alliance’s (Outa) court case against the system, in the Supreme High Court of Appeal.

Following the President’s passing of the bill into law, Outa said it was surprised at this decision, bearing in mind that recent reports indicated that the Presidency was going to take some time to consider the questions relating to the correct tagging of the bill before signing it into law.

“In addition, we await the outcome of the Supreme Court’s ruling on the Outa appeal, as well as the recent recommendation by the Presidential Commission which reviewed state owned entities, stating that ‘funding for social infrastructure, including roads, should rely less on user pays and more on taxation’,” said Outa spokesman Wayne Duvenage.

Outa said that,”with this regulatory box ticked”, Sanral may now proceed to launch their highly unpopular e-toll scheme in Gauteng.

“With Sanral’s current, dire financial situation and their claim of readiness, one must assume that they will start to toll within two weeks – a claim they have made on a number of occasions in the past,” said Duvenage.

He added that Sanral would be wise to await the outcome of the Supreme Court’s ruling on Outa’s appeal in the next few weeks, but even if that rules in their favour, Sanral’s biggest hurdle has yet to come: the public’s buy-in and acceptance of its cumbersome and irrational plan.

He added that, despite their claims to the contrary, Sanral did not conduct a meaningful public engagement process prior to their decision to toll and this is borne out in the widespread condemnation and rejection of the scheme.

In addition to the shockingly poor participation process in 2007, said Duvenage, other matters have come to the fore, which have further irked the public and advanced the levels of intolerance of e-tolling.

“The public are now aware of the high profits (in excess of R650-m per annum) that will be earned by the European-based Kapsch TrafficCom, funded by Gauteng motorists.

“We now also know that due to construction company collusion, the roads cost more than they ought to have and, in addition, the enforcement of e-tolls will now be conducted through the criminal procedures act (CPA), which makes this matter more difficult,” said Duvenage.

Local residents are also not welcoming of the system, with Carel Louw saying he is against it.

“I’m not going to pay and will get false number plates and everything if needed, as we are already paying ourselves to death on taxes,” said Louw.

Resident Gerrie Gerber said that he is against e-tolling.

“It does not accommodate pensioners and the average man on the street is already trying to keep his head above the water,” said Gerbe.

Jose de Carvalho said he supposed “they have no other way to rob us”.

Although others do not have a problem with the system, because they are not using highways, they feel sorry for those who do.