The e-tolling concessions that Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa announced last week won’t sway these e-toll detractors. Here they tell Sheree Bega some of their novel ways of dealing with their bills.
Rob Handfield-Jones
Motoring expert
“I shredded the first bill I received from Sanral. I recycle the others for paper. I don’t even look at them. I don’t know what I owe them and I don’t care. I have no interest in paying an e-toll bill. I will never pay. They will have to take me all the way to Constitutional Court. This is an unlawful system.”
Dumisani Dakile
Provincial secretary, Cosatu
“I don’t know how much I owe because I don’t even look at my bills. I suspect it must run to the thousands – maybe even a R100 000.
But I keep my bills so I can burn them. I make a fire and throw them into the fire. Burning all those bills doesn’t just feel good, it feels great.”
Wayne Duvenage
Chairman, Opposition to Urban Tolling Alliance (Outa)
“The last time I looked at my bill, it was R18 000. I keep the latest bill and toss the older ones out. Of course I will never pay.”
Duvenage has described the government’s new e-toll plan, that was announced earlier this month. as the “same farce, different lipstick”.
Modise Moiloanyane
Former head, Black Management Forum, Gauteng
“My e-toll bills are in the dustbin. I don’t keep them. At some stage last year I owed almost R8 000. However, I have stopped taking note.” Moiloanyane has previously stated that there would be no need for e-tolls if Gauteng’s resources were properly managed to upgrade and manage its road infrastructure.
Mark Heywood
Executive director, Section27
“I’ve stopped counting. Last time I looked it was several thousand… one of the so-called alternative feeder roads advertised is the R511 from Erasmia, past Laezonia and Diepsloot. Three years ago they advertised it as complete. I live near it. It is worse than when they started upgrading it. That’s part of what they want us to pay for? Hell, no.”
John Clarke
Spokesman, Outa
“I have no idea (what I owe). My dog chews my e-toll bills before I open them. I would guess they amount to around R1 000. Not much as I work from home when I am in Joburg and don’t use the freeways that much… I deeply mourn that (Sanral) is a state-owned enterprise that has been in woeful breach of its obligation to ensure ‘user says’ precedes ‘user pays’.”
Howard Dembovsky
Chairman, Justice Project South Africa
“As far as I’m concerned, I owe nothing. I have not received their bills nor have I consented to their illegal terms and conditions, which expect me to sign away all protection afforded to me by the Consumer Protection Act. I have, however, paid every single cent due in terms of the fuel levy every time I have purchased fuel.”
Saturday Star