Sanral to spend millions on e-tolls propaganda

South African National Roads Agency Limited (Sanral) is set to continue spending millions on e-tolls propaganda, a reply to a DA parliamentary question has revealed. 

According to the reply, Sanral has budgeted R85 million for advertising related to the e-toll system in Gauteng, which will be spent on both alternative sources of funding campaigns as well as corporate campaigns.

It was also revealed that the advertising spend by Sanral on the Gauteng Freeway Improvement Project (GPIF) for the 2013/2014 financial year, is R23 257 909.

This latest revelation follows a previous reply to a DA parliamentary question which indicated that Sanral's spending on advertising had increased by almost 200% - from R30.4 million in 2010/11, to R84.5 million in 2011/12 and R87.1 million in 2012/13. 

Sanral's stubborn determination to continue with these campaigns is a disgrace. The public have made their opposition to the project heard. No amount of spin will change this. 

The DA has received Sanral's contract documentation on e-tolling in Gauteng. We are carefully scrutinising these documents and hope that they will provide answers on how the e-tolling system can be scrapped.

E-tolling will serve no benefit to the people of the Province, and will hit the poorest the hardest by increasing the price of doing business, resulting in food price increases and inevitably undermining economic growth and job creation.

That is why the DA will continue to fight against e-tolling - where we govern now and where we are elected to govern in 2014.

Statement issued by Ian Ollis MP, DA Shadow Minister of Transport, August 19 2013

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