E-tolls failed: OUTA

E-tolling Gauteng's highways has failed and the system falls short of its intentions, the Opposition to Urban Tolling Alliance (Outa) said on Tuesday.

"This system is falling far short of its intentions and targets," Outa chairman Wayne Duvenage told public hearings in Midrand on the impact of e-tolls.

"We are not saying it will fail, we are saying it has failed."

The Gauteng Freeway Improvement Project (GFIP) was necessary, but things could have been done differently to ease congestion on the roads.

Duvenage said the system was not thoroughly researched.

E-tolling was launched in December and Duvenage said it was clear the public would continue to reject it.

In 2011, before Outa was established, its founding members raised concerns, including a lack of consultation and system efficiencies.

The fuel levy and taxes were a better option to pay for the GFIP than tolling.

"We have encountered a lot of misleading information from Sanral [SA National Roads Agency Limited]," he said.

In order to implement tolling, one needed to start with a high level of compliance, but in Gauteng there was much opposition to the system.

"Society is not accepting that this is the right system. Therefore we gave strong opposing mechanisms," said Duvenage.

The hearings are intended to examine the economic and social impact of the GFIP and the electronic tolling system set up to fund it. The panel is expected to present its findings to premier David Makhura at the end of November.