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The e-toll gantries on Gauteng freeways are expected to process 2 million vehicles a day, and the chief executive of Avis says the system will be virtually impossible to manage if just 10 percent are noncompliant. Photo: Itumeleng English.
Enforcing e-tolling on South African roads will be made impossible by the sheer weight of numbers, according to Wayne Duvenage, the chief executive of car rental company Avis. He believes the system will collapse by February at the latest.
Department of Transport director-general George Mahlalela told Business Day last week that e-tolling on Gauteng freeways was still scheduled to start in February next year, even though “logistical issues” remained unresolved.
Duvenage said with an estimated 2 million gantry transactions a day on Gauteng roads, a mere 10 percent noncompliance would make it “virtually impossible to manage the hundreds and thousands of offences a day”. Many expect noncompliance to be much higher than 10 percent if the nonpayment of traffic fines is any guideline.
“Many estimate that the spiral that will feed the implosion will start when honest citizens realise they are footing the bill for the noncompliant road user. Frustrations are already rising from the exemption of taxis from e-tolling.
“The reason provided for this, to reduce the costs for poorer commuters, is not transparent because taxis are not exempt from long distance tolls. The perceived reason for it is that the taxi industry will not participate willingly in e-tolling, nor can they be governed, and they would blockade the freeways in protest.
“The biggest issue is that the honest citizen who has no problem about paying for road structure upgrades becomes frustrated about the additional R1.5 billion to R2bn a year required to police and administer the funding through e-tolls when it could be administered free through the fuel levy.”
Duvenage said the “user pays” argument was seen as a farce, with most South Africans taking the view that “all our roads belong to all of us”.
People had no problem if fuel levies contributed to the upkeep of roads in other regions, he said, and a levy of 12c a litre could finance the Gauteng freeway improvements.
Bloomberg reported yesterday that Cosatu was planning national protests together with civil society organisations on March 7 against toll roads in Gauteng, citing the labour federation’s general secretary, Zwelinzima Vavi.
“The federation has declared war on the Gauteng e-tolling system,” Vavi told reporters in Johannesburg yesterday. “We are against the commodification of more and more public services and believe that our roads are a public asset, not a commodity to create massive profits for private companies.” - Audrey D’Angelo
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md, wrote
Joburg Advocacy Group, wrote
Erm, Mr Duvenhage, non-compliance will be a form of civil society protest against the state's appalling mismanagement of public funds and it's undemocratic attempts to make up for that by using methods like e-tolling. It won't just be a bunch of naughty citizens ducking their responsibilities and allowing others to foot the bill. We're with Vavi on this one ... And if you think the Joburg billing crisis is an administrtaive and governance disaster, wait for this ...
Jakes, wrote
Why are they not charging the taxis and buses REASON they are scared The TAXIS WILL NOT COMPLY AND THEY WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO DO ANYTHING you ordinary motorist is the scapegoat Do not comply with these greedy parasites . No ETAGS for me
Anonymous, wrote
This is a great opportunity for the people of SA to stand together and speak as one...after all we are are all looking for the same thing, we just need something to bring the people together...well this could be it, do your bit and do not be an idiot as those loosers who have already bought etags
Charles Kubhayi, wrote
The tolling system must be abolished because it threatens the transport costs of the poor people of the country and therefore it should be boycotted with full forrce.
Anonymous, wrote
Yeah right, like I will pay or register for Tolls. They can go and fly a kite for all I care. They are already screwing the people that have registerd by charging them fees for something that is not even operational yet. Besides, if you give them your ID, address and vehicle details, you will just leave yourself open to more fraudsters that sell your info to criminals. I do not trust anyone working in or for the goverment!
Anonymous, wrote
Remove them and institute a fuel levy. Actually a fuel levy should implemented country wide so that all our roads can be improved for all our people. I can smell the odour of corruption!
Gautengvol, wrote
Can someone please work out how many tax we ordinary citizens pay per R100 we earn? Pls incl this so-called e-toll tax. Paying this is not in my immediate plans...
NOIR, wrote
Anonymous, wrote
@Anon 08:53am You pay the full amount of the distance between the last gantrie and the one you are going through.
charou, wrote
Remittance Man, wrote
Non-compliance, which I agree will be a huge problem, is not the only thing likely to cause failure. What about all the cars and trucks this system will force off the highways and onto the smaller roads? Anyone who has travelled in Gauteng over the past couple of years will confirm that the side streets can barely handle the volumes of traffic at the moment and, unlike the highways, they have not been properly maintained or upgraded for decades.
Godfather, wrote
I Agree with Vavi why we pay for roads when we already pay extreme amounts on TAX for hospitals and infrastructure which does not happen anyway .So im one of thoe south africans that is going to go again the e-tolling and not be tagged
@Gecko, wrote
You will be able to find all the information you need on the Cosatu Website. As for the real story behind this SANRALBAKWENA debacle, there is some serious politics involved and as so many folks have pointed out, to the benefit of company executives and the politicians involved in these deals.
Anonymous, wrote
The bigger question is whether we are a republic where law-making is delegated to those elected between elections, or a democracy where we have the right to oppose laws made by those (even if democratically) elected. Substantially Jewish (and possibly Islamic) law entitles the people to reject a law (made either by democratically elected groups or otherwise) if the general response does just that.
Les, wrote
@Anon 08:53. I don't think they have applied their minds that far. I'm not paying period...
Marco, wrote
Anonymous, wrote
with an estimated 2 million gantry transactions a day on Gauteng roads, a mere 10 percent noncompliance would make it “virtually impossible to manage the hundreds and thousands with an estimated 2 million gantry transactions a day on Gauteng roads, a mere 10 percent noncompliance would make it “virtually impossible to manage the hundreds and thousands Well, first of all James must be an employee of Sanral Tried to contact e-toll today on thier 0800 number guess what yup you got it right NOBODY ANSWERS, just like any other government, muncipal department. As far as I know there is no law that you have to register for a E-Tag, let then bill you for the fees, think of it more than 2,000,000 gantry trasactions per day how are they going to cope with the billing issues,there will be millions of queries before paying, it is our right to question every transaction that you persieve to be incorrect. Joburg cant even get the rates and taxes right. E-Tolling is only a way to "make it eay for SANRAL to collectits money " think of it this way no registation account must be sent out. We wont be law breakers as there is no law, I say no more.
Anonymous, wrote
my daily trips to work takes me to through one toll gantrie,(question)how do they dtermine how many km's i travel everyday to work,surely this way i can not be charged for per kilometer if the toll can not detect the amount of km's i travelled,according to sanral we will be charged per km through all e tolls right,can someone clarify please
Vaalie, wrote
Fuel Levy is the only way. The Gauteng heartland is the lifeblood of SA and therefore everyone should pay for it. Without us you would all be scratching your heads and looking at the mountain wondering where your next meal comes from. If you dont like paying for something you dont use then move your ass to Gauteng and contribute ( you can also get rich too at the same time). Its about time the wax feet, new agers and mountain people paid for something around here.
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