Sanral welcomes end of e-tolling battle
JOBURG - The South African National Roads Agency Limited (Sanral) has welcomed the Oppositions to Urban Tolling Alliance’s (Outa) decision to end the e-tollingl legal battle.
Outa announced on 18 October it was ending the e-tolling legal battle. Chairman Wayne Duvenage said the organisation was constrained due to a lack of funding. .
“Sanity has prevailed,” said Sanral spokesman Vusi Mona, in a statement.
“We trust people will respect the integrity of the judiciary and value its independence. We urge people to obtain their e-tags and register their vehicles in order to enjoy the discounts,” he said.
However, Duvenage has urged motorists not to buy e-tags and said Outa would support the motorists in their continued fight against the tolling of Gauteng freeways.
18 October, 11.30am
Wayne Duvenage of the Opposition to Urban Tolling Alliance, Outa, has said the organisation would not appeal the earlier judgement on the future of e-tolling in Gauteng.
Duvenage said the organisation was constrained by a shortage of funds. He said in order for the organisation to continue the fight against e-tolling, they would need R3.5 million. He said it was now up to the motorists of Gauteng, but made it very clear, Outa would be behind their decisions.
He stressed that it was not against the law if motorists did not buy an e-tag and urged motorists to continue fighting for their rights. He said trucks and other modes of transport would be forced to use secondary roads, which would result in congestion and more accidents.
The Quadriplegic Association of South Africa said it would be going forward with their fight against e-tolling and said it would engage with the South African human rights commissioner as well as the minister of woman, children and disabilities. The organisation said e-tolling would fail the quadriplegic people of Gauteng, who had no other mode of transport, as public transport did not always cater for them.
