Mixed reports on tolling in the WC

Mluleki Mrwebi

19 May 2013

Two independent researcher companies Automobile Association of South Africa and the Southern African Bitumen Association conducted studies which both confirmed that the South African Roads Agency Limited is misleading the public.

SANRAL has argued that a fuel levy to fund road infrastructure and maintenance is insufficient, and that e-tolling is therefore necessary.

However, two independent studies confirm that the fuel levy provides enough funding for the construction and maintenance of our roads and that there is no need for the wholesale construction of toll roads.

The City of Cape Town together with the provincial government has filed a court interdict against Sanral to implement e-tolling project on the N1 and N2 Winelands.

Sanral Spokesperson Vusi Mona claim that the move by the City is politically motivated considering that we going to elections next year.

Meanwhile the DA Shadow Minister of Transport Ian Ollis said he will be writing to the Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Transport, Ruth Bhengu, requesting that she summon the CEO of SANRAL, Nazir Alli, and the Minister of Transport, Ben Martins, to account for their failure to adequately explore the use of the fuel levy to fund road maintenance and that these two reports be tabled before the committee for its detailed consideration.

It has been reported that Khayelitsha and Mitchells Plain residents would be the hardest hit by these e-tolls.