Sanral won’t be present at e-tolls panel

File photo: Dumisani Sibeko

File photo: Dumisani Sibeko

Published Sep 2, 2014

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Johannesburg - The SA National Roads Agency Limited (Sanral) will not make representations to the advisory panel on e-tolls and their socio-economic impact, it said on Tuesday.

“No, Sanral will not be making representations,” spokesman Vusi Mona said in an e-mail to Sapa.

He had not responded by early Tuesday evening to a further question as to why Sanral had decided this.

The Opposition to Urban Tolling Alliance (Outa) told the panel in Midrand on Tuesday that e-tolls in Gauteng had caused widespread outrage.

“The outrage has been far-reaching, across all sectors of society and has galvanised a defiant citizens' tax-revolt, not yet experienced in our young democracy,” chairman Wayne Duvenage said.

“Our socio-economy can't afford this.”

Duvenage said the idea of tolling Gauteng was appealing.

“While the idea and technology of e-tolling for Gauteng was appealing, its execution has been left wanting for a myriad of reasons, many of which were predictable.”

The vast majority of users would not pay, he said.

“For this reason alone we say it is not failing, but it has failed. The authorities will be well advised to call off the flogging of this horse, which was never alive in the first place.”

Duvenage said authorities could try and force people to submit and get e-tags, but could never force people to co-operate.

Sapa

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