This when the Gauteng Freeway Improvement Project (GFIP) hosted a media round table discussion on the controversial issue at the South African National Road’s Agency’s (Sanral) Pretoria head office.
Alex van Niekerk, GFIP project manager, presented the new dispensation announced by Deputy President Cyril Ramaposa in May, in an attempt to shed light on how it would affect both motorists and Sanral.
“Government [has]… announced changes to the current toll regime that will provide users with more certainty about their monthly toll, and also cap it at much reduced monthly toll caps,” said Van Niekerk.
He also dismissed claims that an increased fuel levy could subsidise e-tolls, claiming that less than one percent of vehicle kilometres travelled in South Africa were on GFIP roads, and only eight percent of total vehicle kilometres travelled in Gauteng were travelled on GFIP roads.
Therefore, said Van Niekerk, a fuel levy would not make any sense because it would unfairly burden 92 percent of vehicle kilometres not travelled on GFIP roads in Gauteng, and 99 percent in the rest of South Africa.
The issue of licence disc renewal was also discussed. The dispensation states that motorists with an outstanding e-toll fee will be unable to renew their licences without paying the fee. Van Niekerk said this would take government between five and 17 months to implement, and that there would be no compromise on this issue.
The new dispensation is outlined below:
- Public transport remains exempted
- A single reduced tariff will apply to all motorists – 30c/km
- A 60 percent discount will apply to historic debt
- Free gantry passes for those doing 30 or less gantry passes per year will be implemented
- New monthly caps for all classes of vehicle will be implemented: light motor vehicles will have a 50 percent reduction (from R450 to R225/pm)
- A monthly cap on the penalty for accounts in arrears
- Outstanding e-toll fees will need to be settled before a renewed licence disc is handed over to a motorist.
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