Don’t be intimidated by SANRAL SMSs‚ OUTA says

04 February 2016 - 20:33 By TMG Digital
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The Organisation Undoing Tax Abuse (OUTA) – formerly known as Opposition to Urban Tolling Alliance – has told its members not to be intimidated by SMS messages from SANRAL to motorists about outstanding e-toll bills.

E-toll gantry. File photo.
E-toll gantry. File photo.
Image: RUSSELL ROBERTS

The message‚ offering motorists a 60% discount if they settle their e-toll accounts immediately‚ warns that failure to do so “will result in a loss of this discount‚ vehicle listing‚ and collection action being commenced against you for the full amount due”.

Describing the messages as a new tactic of intimidation by SANRAL‚ OUTA said that all contributing OUTA members would be covered under the organisation’s e-Toll Defence Umbrella should SANRAL attempt to prosecute for non-payment of e-tolls.

“When enquiring with the Sanral call centre about what exactly ‘vehicle listing’ and ‘collection action’ means‚ we received no clear indication from three different staff members‚” said Wayne Duvenage‚ OUTA’s chairperson.

“This is clearly an intimidation tactic but what’s more‚ the fact that SANRAL are sending questionable unsolicited messages to people‚ without an ‘opt-out’ option from receiving further intimidation messages‚ could be deemed unlawful. There is no qualification within these messages that this debt belongs to a specific person or vehicle registration number‚” Duvenage stated.

He added that OUTA’s legal team was investigating the possibility that Sanral or their agents might be transgressing section 45 of the Electronic Communications and Transactions Act by sending unsolicited communications to persons without giving them the option to opt out or being able to confirm where they had obtained their personal details.

“As per the act‚ ‘communicating with persons in this manner could be a criminal offence with a fine or prison sentence of up to 12 months’‚” said Duvenage

One motorist told TMG Digital that she had received an SMS stating her outstanding e-toll balance was R5433.60.

“Pay now and get a discount of R3260.16. Failure to settle will result in a loss of this discount‚ vehicle listing‚ and collection action being commenced for the full amount due‚” the message read.

According to OUTA‚ less than 1% have taken up the discount offer.

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