Court verdict a massive victory against tolling in the Western Cape

Thursday 28 August

The Democratic Alliance (DA) in the Western Cape is delighted with the victory scored by the DA-led City of Cape Town in the High Court today. The City opposed SANRAL's application to keep all documents relating to their plans for tolling in the Western Cape secret.

In an attempt to keep the people of the Western Cape in the dark about their proposed tolling of the N1 and N2 highways, SANRAL tried to prevent the City of Cape Town from filing papers in an open court. However, the Court dismissed their secrecy application and the City of Cape Town will subsequently deliver its papers in an open court.

The City's supplementary founding papers that were filed in the review application against the project include information about the cost of the proposed project, the planned tolling tariffs as well as the expected revenue and the costs paid to the tolling operator.

The DA vehemently opposes the tolling of highways in the Western Cape. We will continue to support the City in all its efforts to stop SANRAL's N1/N2 tolling project. Just like in Gauteng, SANRAL wants to pump billions into this project, at the taxpayers' expense.

Today's judgement is the second victory for the City in 18 months. In May last year, the City acquired an interdict against SANRAL to halt them from taking any steps in the implementation of the tolls, pending the outcome of the City's review application.

It is becoming abundantly clear that SANRAL's N1/N2 tolling project is doomed to fail. It will hit poor commuters hardest. It will increase the cost of basic goods and make Cape Town less competitive and will kill jobs. We will fight it all the way.

This is the DA difference. Where the DA governs, we fight to protect average people who cannot afford to pay these tolls. In Gauteng, where the ANC governs, government fights hard to implement an inefficient e-tolling system that will make billions for the tolling operator at the expense of the people of Gauteng.

The ANC pushes for these big projects because it enriches those individuals connected to the party. We will not allow the Western Cape to become a cash cow for the ANC-connected elite.

Statement issued by Dr. Ivan Meyer: DA Western Cape Leader, August 28 2014

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