Outa slams 'unworkable' e-toll rules for disabled discounts

17 August 2016

Cape Town - New e-toll regulations by the South African National Roads Agency Limited (Sanral) exempting disabled people may seem like a noble move but are in fact meaningless because they are impractical and cumbersome, said civil rights body Outa.

In a statement on Wednesday, Outa lambasted Minister of Transport Dipuo Peters’ recent announcement of e-toll exemption regulations for the disabled community.

Outa was responding to a Government Gazette published on August 5, in which Peters included "exempt adapted vehicles" - described as motor vehicles especially adapted to be used or driven by persons with disabilities - in a list of vehicles which qualify for exemptions or rebates. The new laws, according to the gazette, are called Regulations on Exemptions from and Rebates on the Payment of Tolls.

Under "information required and procedures applicable in respect of exempt adapted vehicles", the gazette provides a full list of requirements for passengers and drivers with disabilities.

Other vehicles qualifying for rebates under the new ruling include:

- Ambulances;

- Emergency medical response vehicles;

- Fire-fighting vehicles;

- NGO vehicles;

- NPO vehicles;

- Public transport vehicle

- Rescue vehicles; and

- Traffic officer vehicles.

"While the exemption process for the transportation of people with disabilities appears to be noble and good, the cumbersome nature of the procedures that have to be applied makes the regulations meaningless for many," said Outa.

It pointed out that first of all, medical records need to be obtained from the disabled person being transported. Each trip must then be logged and rebate applications made after the fact.

"These requests and applications need to be tracked by the person submitting the request for a refund, to be sure that they are actions by Sanral or their agents." After this, follow-up requests need to be processed, explained Sanral.

“When one weighs up the cost, effort and time taken to implement and manage this process, it hardly seems worth the effort,” said Outa chairperson Wayne Duvenage. “It appears clear to us that Sanral and the Department of Transport have not taken note of the requests and needs of the disabled community for their practical requirement for exemption from e-tolls.”

The regulations fail to provide an efficient solution to the hundreds of motorists who transport people with disabilities every day, said Outa.

This article first appeared on Fin24, see here.