“With regards to road construction, Gauteng has built many kilometres of new freeways at a cost of about R20-billion. This is more than our national roads budget for one year. The roads are to be tolled to pay back the money we borrowed to build the freeways. The principle of user-pay has to apply to complement the costs incurred by government,” he said.
President Zuma went on to say, “It is unfair to make the whole of South Africa pay for Gauteng`s road use by taxing everyone`s petrol more, or putting an increased burden on the already strained fiscus. We thank all citizens who have registered for the e-tolls so that we can continue to improve roads and boost economic growth in Gauteng. We urge those who have not registered to please register their vehicles.”
President Zuma came under fire for a controversial statement he made in the forum when he made critical remarks about the state of roads in Malawi, while trying to justify the need for South Africans to pay for e-tolls.
The ANC has since released a statement from the presidential spokesperson, Mr Mac Maharaj.
“Zuma’s statement to the Gauteng ANC Manifesto Forum at Wits University was taken out of context and blown out of proportion by the media,” said Mr Maharaj.
“The ANC places on record that both the organisation and the president hold the people of Malawi and elsewhere on the continent, in high regard. The context in which the statement was made must be clarified, in order to understand how the president`s comment. The comment has been mischievously singled out,” added Mr Maharaj.
