People held captive by toll roads: Judge

Tens of thousands of people were likely to be negatively affected by the e-toll project in Gauteng, a judge said on Saturday.

"People are held captive by the toll roads," said Judge Bill Prinsloo in the High Court in Pretoria.

He was reading out affidavits by five South African citizens that described their hardships and how the e-toll project would affect them.

Prinsloo said there had to thousands, if not tens of thousands, of people who must use the toll roads who would also be negatively affected.

"In my view the nationwide objections and protesting lend to this," Prinsloo said.

He was handing down judgment in an urgent application by the Opposition to Urban Tolling Alliance's (Outa) to stop the e-toll project, pending the outcome of a court review.

Prinsloo said the main road -- which would be tolled -- was a "massively populated" road on a daily basis because there were no metropolitan or secondary roads available.