Gauteng asks government to halt e-tolls

The Gauteng government has made submissions to the national government to reaffirm its rejection of the implementation of the e-tolls in the hope of halting its rollout in the province.

Following resistance by the public to e-tolls, MEC Jacob Mamabolo said the Gauteng government was opposed to its implementation. The province had been working with the national government to ensure e-tolls are halted, he said.

It is unfair for residents to be burdened with paying -tolls, Mamabolo said.

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“We have made a very comprehensive submission to the President, the minister of finance and that of transport which we believe can resolve the e-toll matter once and for all. We have made a compelling case clearly stating that it is incorrect for residents of our province to be burdened with paying for e-tolls.”

Mamabolo wrote to Transport Minister Fikile Mbalula in December to note the province’s rejection of the implementation of the Administrative Adjudication of Road Traffic Offences (AARTO) Act regulations as just another method of enforcing e-tolls.

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“We reject the proposed AARTO regulations which are another attempt to bring back the e-tolls system in our province. We are of the strongest view that the freeway network that is being tolled services the national economy and the South African Development Community as well as the international economy.”

“It is therefore not fair to expect the people of our province to carry the burden,” said Mamabolo.

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