Minister of Transport jumping the gun on e-tolling regulations

The Minister of Transport, Ben Martins, is jumping the gun in gazetting regulations on Gauteng e-tolling before President Jacob Zuma has even signed the Transport Laws and Related Matters Amendment Bill (E-tolling Bill) into law.

This is further evidence of the continued arrogance displayed by the Department of Transport and SANRAL on the e-tolling project in Gauteng. They are determined to rush ahead with this unpopular project before the matter has even been fully agreed to.

This is not only an affront to the residents of Gauteng, who will be burdened by this expensive project, but it also deliberately undermines the integrity of Parliament and the legislative process which has yet to be fully finalised.

The DA will take this matter up with the Leader of Government Business, Kgalema Motlanthe, and urge him to ensure that all such regulations are suspended until such stage as this e-tolling project has been agreed to.

We furthermore re-iterate our position that a referendum in Gauteng must be held before such stage as the project is implemented, and regulations are enforced. To pursue this project without this having taken place, will be to ignore the views of the people of Gauteng, who remain outraged by this plan.

It is high time that both Minister Martins and SANRAL understood that they cannot stampede over public opinion. 

They should stop their arrogant crusade and let the people of Gauteng decide now.

Statement issued by Ian Ollis MP, DA Shadow Minister of Transport, May 27 2013

Click here to sign up to receive our free daily headline email newsletter