Don’t force e-tolls on the people, ANC

Surprise, surprise, the e-tolls decision by government has been delayed … again. Transport Minister Fikile Mbalula says Cabinet will decide in two weeks whether to proceed with the most contentious public infrastructure project since 1994.

Already, Finance Minister Tito Mboweni has said e-tolls will continue because it is a “user pays” service. That is nonsense, because there are plenty of government services for which millions don’t pay.

The reality is that the government has already accumulated billions of rands in debt – and heaven knows how much more in payback for the ANC’s “friends” – in the Gauteng Freeway Improvement Project, so it must get the money from somewhere.

The Austrian operators of the collection system have not been able to rake in the barrow loads of cash they anticipated because of the toll defiance campaign, so they want their turn to eat.

Mboweni and the ANC look set to ignore other practical ways of paying off the debt and building new roads, including ring-fenced provincial fuel levies.

But Mboweni, Mbalula and the rest of the ANC fat cats should be aware that the boycott so far could be chicken feed compared to what will come if they force this on people.

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