Peters told the e-toll review panel that Sanral does not make policies or decides on financing.
“[Sanral] is a policy implementing agency of government and is categorised as a Schedule 3A national public entity – meaning it is not allowed to operate on a profit basis,” Peters said.
“Thus, the spurious allegations about Sanral ‘milking it’ or ‘profiting at the expense of the public’ must be stopped.”
Acting Director-General of Transport, Mawethu Vilana said several attempts were made to minimise the financial impact on the public including the exemption of public transport from paying e-tolls, increasing the discount offered to e-tag holders and capping the monthly tariff for light motor vehicles.
According to Peters, the Gauteng government began discussions in 1996 to improve highways. This was two years before Sanral’s establishment.
Vilani refuted claims that there was inadequate public consultation prior to the introduction of e-tolls.
According to Vilani, adverts where placed by Sanral in early 2007 and the public and stakeholders were given the opportunity to comment on the system between October 2007 and April 2008.
Peters added the government continued to listen to, and consider, people’s views explaining that toll collection was postponed twice after various stakeholders raised their concerns.
Peters said she was disappointed that motorists had rejected the project, despite court rulings that gave the go-ahead for the system.
The decision to implement the Gauteng Freeway Improvement Project with its chosen funding mechanism was taken after a thorough consultative process and its implementation was in compliance with appropriate legislation, she said.
“This has since been confirmed by six courts of law and 17 judges. And here I must pause, chairperson, and express our disappointment with what we see as a creeping tendency to disregard court judgments.”
Peters told the panel that e-tolling was “not a perfect solution, but doing nothing was not an option” and urged motorists to continue paying their e-toll bills, saying it was the responsible thing to do.
The transport department, National Treasury and Sanral was expected to make three days of presentations to the review panel in a bid to clear up misconceptions about e-tolling.
