Johannesburg - The South African National Roads Agency Limited has warned Gauteng residents about hoax e-mails claiming that money can be taken directly from e-toll users’ bank accounts.
It said yesterday on Sunday the hoax e-mails started out as an April Fool’s joke but had since spiralled out of control.
Sanral spokesman Vusi Mona said: “The April Fool’s joke has gained momentum. Many people are now concerned that Sanral is illegally taking money from road users.
We want to assure the public that Sanral acts strictly within the confines of the e-tolling legislation.”
“We are transparent in all our actions.”
The hoax message was allegedly first published on the Business Tech website on 1 April as part of an April Fool’s joke. The joke claimed the SA Revenue Service had been allocated the power to collect money directly from the bank accounts of road users who have not paid their e-toll accounts.
It seems some road users have taken it seriously.
Mona said it was regrettable that the website contributed to misinforming the public under the guise of a joke.
“A similar situation occurred in January when false reports were spread about alleged roadblocks in Gauteng where road users were forced to purchase e-tags.”
Pretoria News