Africa-Press – South-Africa. The e-toll system was meant to be scrapped on 31 December 2022, but the Gauteng government says this has been delayed into the new year.
In a statement issued on Saturday, the provincial government explained that an agreement with National Treasury had not yet been concluded to support the deactivation of e-tolls.
“… 31 December 2022, was pencilled as the day to deactivate the e-tolls billing system. However, due to the need to finalise key components of the MOU (memorandum of understanding) between the national government and the provincial government, the matter will be finalised in the new year (2023),” the statement read.
The SA National Road Agency has struggled to recover costs of the Gauteng Freeway Improvement Project through e-tolls with many motorists failing to pay them. The e-tolls also faced opposition from civil society groups like OUTA and labour federation Cosatu. This ultimately pushed Sanral’s debt burden to over R40 billion.
Last year, at the tabling of the medium-term budget policy statement, Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana announced that government would take on 70% of Sanral’s debt while the province would take on 30%.
Shortly after, Premier Panyazi Lesufi then said e-tolls would be scrapped after an agreement is concluded with National Treasury by 31 December.
The Gauteng government gave assurances that the billing system would be deactivated eventually.
“Premier Panyaza Lesufi wishes to assure Gauteng residents that there is no turning back on doing away with e-tolls,” the statement read.
A notice to switch off the e-tolls has to be gazetted, and would be deactivated 14 days after the release of the gazette.
“The gazette will be released in early 2023, as agreed by the national Department of Transport,” the statement read.
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