SANRAL DISHONEST ABOUT GAUTENG TOLL ROAD TARIFFS

The Freedom Front Plus is of the opinion that SANRAL was dishonest with the public by first pretending that the Gauteng overhead toll gate tariffs would be 50c per kilometre but eventually announced an effective tariff of 66c per kilometre (see here - PDF).

"The Gauteng open toll gate tariff system is nothing other than an added tax. The public is so tired of paying taxes raised by government that the FF Plus' online petition to have the tariff set at 5c a kilometre has garnered more than 50 000 signatures," Adv. Anton Alberts, FF Plus' parliamentary spokesperson on Transport said.

"The FF Plus will sharpen its campaign against the high tariffs and therefore requests more road users to sign the petition at www.tollgatepetition.org.za.  If we get 100 000 signatures we will have a very strong mandate to enforce the 5c tariff on SANRAL. The party will even approach the Consumer Commission and the courts to have the tariff reduced if needs be," Adv. Alberts added.

"It is shocking that SANRAL introduces the new tariff without explaining what these fees are based upon. The tariff will cause considerable harm to the economy of Gauteng and South Africa . Road users will struggle financially even more while the taxes on petrol should in actual fact have been used to cover road maintenance and upgrading costs. These toll gate tariffs could have the same effect as the American protest against taxes which gave rise to the tea party rebellion in the USA ," was the opinion of Adv. Alberts.

Statement issued by Adv. Anton Alberts, FF Plus Parliamentary Spokesperson: Transport, February 7 2011

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