E-tolling: DA lays into ANC

Image: Leon Nicholas

Image: Leon Nicholas

Published Nov 20, 2012

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Parliament - ANC members on Parliament's transport portfolio committee were accused on Tuesday of trying to “ram through” the Transport Laws and Related Matters and Amendment Bill.

“They have pulled every trick in the book to get it through Parliament so that the e-tolls can be implemented urgently,” Democratic Alliance member Ian Ollis said.

“Thursday is the final day that Parliament can vote on bills in 2012 - clearly, the government is rushing this process to get it done in time,” he said.

Only 18 submissions on the bill were received from the public, and only three indicated they wanted to make oral presentations to the committee.

Cosatu and the SA Local Government Association made their presentations to the committee on Tuesday, but Business Unity SA was unable to make a presentation “due to the short notice and urgency with which the ANC is conducting the process”.

Ollis said there was not enough time left for the committee to properly deliberate on proposals made.

The DA intended to raise the issue with the committee chair and request that the debate on the bill be postponed until next year, so that the committee had adequate time to take into account the public's submissions and make the necessary changes to the bill, he said.

According to a memorandum attached to the bill, its provisions are essential to implement e-tolling and the Gauteng Freeway Improvement Project (GFIP), as well as other proposed road infrastructure projects in the country. - Sapa

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