COSATU Gauteng rejects the endless delaying tactics in the scrapping of e-tolls
28 August 2023
The Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU) in Gauteng rejects with contempt the delaying tactics by the Gauteng Provincial and National Government in the scrapping of e-tolls.
The Gauteng e-toll system was meant to be scrapped at the end of last year, but it is still functional eight months later. The South African National Roads Agency (Sanral) has collected about R272.5 million from Gauteng motorists between January and July this year. Parties involved in the decision to scrap e-tolls have still not reached an agreement on how to end this disastrous saga.
Sanral has been collecting hundreds of millions of rands in e-toll fees from Gauteng motorists eight months after the controversial system was originally meant to be scrapped.
During his Medium-Term Budget Policy Statement last year, Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana said the system would be scrapped by 31 December 2023. However, on New Year’s Day, the provincial government said an agreement with the National Treasury had not yet been concluded to support the deactivation, and that a notice to shut off the system would be gazetted in ‘early 2023’. But, halfway through the year the system is still in place.
Earlier this year, Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi confirmed that almost R6.9 billion would be refunded to motorists who have been paying for e-tolls. However, that remains a dream for motorists in Gauteng.
The Federation believes that continued payment of the etolls encourages delays and rendering accumulatively expensive to scrap the e-tolls. Due to this, we encourage those who are still paying to stop paying now.
COSATU in Gauteng calls on the National Government, National Treasury, and the Office of the Premier in Gauteng to finalise the scrapping of e-tolls and refund the motorists of Gauteng what is due to them and save motorists from this injustice crime committed by Sanral.
Issued by Louisa Modikwe, Provincial Secretary, COSATU Gauteng, 28 August 2023
