Meetings to be held for public to comment on e-tolls
JOBURG - Joburg residents will finally have their voices heard regarding Gauteng’s e-tolling system.
The advisory panel mandated to assess the impact of e-tolling will be holding public meetings across the province this month.
Organisations and individuals were invited to public meetings to comment on the Gauteng Freeway Improvement Programme and the implementation of the user-pay system.
The meetings served as a platform to hear the public’s views about the costs and benefits of the maintenance and development of freeways both on the economy and on the lives of motorists.
The panel would like to hear the public’s opinions on the political, economic, social and environmental impact of the implementation of e-tolls on individuals, households and communities.
The City of Joburg would be hosting these public meetings on 16 September from 5pm to 8pm at the Braamfontein Recreation Centre and on 20 September from 9am to 12pm at Cosmo City High School, Central African Republic Road.
Buses will be available from Alexandra, Newclare, Bosmont and Sophiatown to the Braamfonteing Recreation Centre and from Ivory Park, Diepsloot and Princess, Davidsonville and Roodepoort CBD to Cosmo City High School on the day of the respective meetings.
The public was advised to contact their regional office or visit www.joburg.org.za for further information.
On 9 September, the panel concluded consultations with key role players and interested parties including government, state-owned enterprises, organised labour, business, civil society formation and transport organisations.
Thus far, the majority of submissions received by the panel have recommended that the system be scrapped and only the Consulting Engineers South Africa was in full support of the project.
However, despite the review undertaken by the panel established by Gauteng Premier David Makhura, Transport Minister Dipuo Peters indicated that the panel may prove to be a toothless entity.
According to Eye Witness News, Peters said that the advisory panel on e-tolls had no power over national government.
Peters reportedly said that the national government would not change its stance on e-tolls even if Gauteng’s e-toll review panel finds that the system should be scrapped.
