DA Gauteng Provincial Leader John Moodey says Gauteng Premier David Makhura laid out an ambitious agenda for Gauteng’s economy during his State of the Province Address.
During his address, Makhura explained that the final decision on the new dispensation of e-tolls will be made once the work of the intergovernmental team is completed.
However Moodey was unimpressed.
“While the premier rightly emphasised the need to grow the province’s economy, he did so while paying scant attention to the elephant in the room which is e-tolls and their continued implementation,” said Moodey.
Moodey stated that the Premier further delayed the inevitable decision that tolls will not be scrapped.
“As long as highways are tolled or road users forced to pay for freeway improvement through one stealth tax or another, the economy will be stifled, and the Premier’s ambitious plans will not materialise,” Moodey continued.
Moodey added that little was paid to the development and improvement of the province’s roads infrastructure.
“The province’s roads are already congested and it will only become worse as long our roads infrastructure does not enjoy priority,” he said.