Taxi association chairperson commends government decision to scrap e-tolls on Gauteng roads
Local taxi operators welcome removal of e-toll system in Gauteng roads
The chairperson of a local taxi association Thami Mabaso said his association has welcomed the government’s decision to scrap e-tolls on Gauteng roads.
The Randburg United Local and Long-Distance Taxi Association (RULLDTA) is a local taxi association that operates routes between Cosmo City, Diepsloot, Fourways, Randburg and Johannesburg among others.
Minister of Finance Enoch Godongwana announced during the mid-term budget policy statement in parliament on October 26 that government will absorb the R47 billion e-toll debt currently sitting with the South African National Roads Agency.
Mabaso said e-tolls made the work of taxi operators in different parts of Johannesburg and other affected cities extremely difficult. “RULLDTA welcomes government decision to get rid of e-tolls. The e-toll system made our work extremely difficult because drivers had to risk driving long trips trying to avoid e-tolls. Operators and taxi drivers had to spend a lot of money on fuel because of these long trips.”
In a media statement, Gauteng premier Panyaza Lesufi said the finalisation of e-tolls matter will bring relief to motorists in the province. “We believe that this is an important victory as it brings great relief to the people of Gauteng who have had to bear the brunt of paying e-tolls for roads which serve a national purpose. There will be further engagements with Sanral regarding the repurposing of the e-tolls which we believe can be of good use in the crime fighting strategy,” Lesufi said.
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