“Those who qualify for this exemption are public transport operators in possession of valid permits and operating licences and whose vehicles are registered on the eNatis system,” spokeswoman Octavia Mamabolo said in a statement.
According to the Department of Transport, 45 700 public transport operators have been exempt from e-toll charges – the majority of these are taxis operating in the province.
Public transport operators who carry passengers from neighbouring provinces to Gauteng daily, also qualified for e-toll exemptions but those who transported commuters occasionally would not receive the exemptions.
However, delays in the issuing of taxi operator licences had left many Gauteng taxi drivers at a disadvantage.
Philip Taaibosch, South African National Taxi Association Council secretary-general said that taxi operators had to register with South African National Roads Agency (Sanral) to qualify for the exemption and required an operating licence to prove that they were legal taxi operators.
However, Taaibosch said that thousands of Gauteng’s taxi operators had not received their operating licences.
“Sanral has done its part [by registering taxi operators for exemptions] but we are forcing the Department of Transport and the MEC to issue taxi operators who have applied and are on the system with operating licences [so that taxi operators can register with Sanral],” he said.
He added that the delay in issuing operating licences had not only impacted taxi drivers’ e-toll exemptions but also their daily business.
Meanwhile, Transport Minister Dipuo Peters continued to urge motorists to buy e-tags and register for e-tolling.
She said that nearly 800 000 Gauteng motorists had bought e-tags.
Following reported challenges accessing the e-toll registration website, Sanral said there were no problems with the site.
“The e-toll website is continuously monitored and tested to ensure it is always functional and available to Sanral’s clients,” the road agency said.
