Government should consider other options: Outa

The Opposition to Urban Tolling Alliance (Outa) said there were four other ways the government could settle the R20 billion debt incurred by improving Gauteng's highways, a newspaper reported on Monday.

The Beeld reports that Outa listed four payment options according to its calculations, one of which was a fuel levy.

It said if the levy was hiked by seven or eight cents, around R1.7 billion could be collected to pay for the infrastructure over 20 years. It would not have administrative costs attached to it.

SA National Roads Agency Limited head Nazir Alli and Transport Minister S'bu Ndebele had argued that it would be unfair for people in other parts of the country to pay for Gauteng's roads.

Outa chairman Wayne Duvenhage however said if the e-tolling system was successful, it would be extended to Cape Town, Durban and Port Elizabeth.

He said the second option was that the national fiscus be used to pay for the infrastructure.

The third option was long distance toll levies, where the person using the vehicle would pay, and not only the owner.

The fourth option was licence fees, which had already been paid, and could be utilised for the improvement of municipal roads.