Opposition to Urban Tolling Alliance (Outa) vehemently condemned South African National Road Agency’s (Sanral) opportunity to justify coercing motorists to pay e-tolls.
This follows Pretoria Magistrates’ Court ruling in the Stoyan Stoychev case on 10 September.
Stoychev pleaded guilty for defeating the ends of justice by driving with false vehicle licence plates.
“Obviously, Sanral will milk the situation, and their behaviour in this regard smacks of a highly opportunistic tactic, borne out of their desperation to try and create fear in the mind of road users who have not paid their e-toll bills,” explained Outa spokesperson John Clarke.
He said Sanral used the opportunity as a way of forcing Stoychev to pay e-tolls.
“I will personally not pay my bill and Sanral is undermining the rule. This is not binding in court and the State cannot prove that a motorist has to pay
e-tolls,” he further explained.
According to Outa, the fact that Sanral was capitalising on the case was an expression of their unethical tactics to hijack a case in which there has been an unlawful act by an irresponsible motorist who used false number plates to escape the consequences of his wrongful behaviour.
Clarke further advised motorist to refrain from breaking the law by using cloned or false number plates.
“It is Outa’s opinion that Sanral has seized on this incident and blown it out of all proportion to intimidate motorists. Since the e-toll scheme was lauched we know of no summons initiated by Sanral or NPA which seeks to address non-payment of e-tolls,” concluded Clarke.
Justice Project South Africa (JPSA) national chairperson Howard Dembovsky said that Sanral’s capitalisation on the case would not serve to demonstrate that not paying e-tolls, while the number plates are genuine and are lawfully displayed, will lead to a similar conviction.
“JPSA remains of the opinion that non-payment of e-tolls should be prosecuted under the Administrative Adjudication of Road Traffic Offences (Aarto ) Act since it is catered for as a non-criminal infringement therein,” concluded Dembovsky.
Details: Outa 083 608 0944; Justice Project South Africa 011 051 6985.
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