Shut up and drive

More Gauteng freeways will be electronically tolled.

The announcement yesterday of a "new dispensation" by Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa effectively paved the way for the expansion of the Gauteng Freeway Improvement Project, which is funded by e-tolls.

An additional 300km of freeways will be tolled in the second phase of the project.

Phase two could extend tolling to the N14 Krugersdorp highway, the section of the M1 between Woodmead and Sandton, the N14 Ben Schoeman highway into Pretoria, the N3 to Heidelberg, the R59 and N12 from Nancefield to Potchefstroom, and the remaining untolled section of the N4 Pretoria.

Estimates of the cost of the expansion vary between R10-billion and R24-billion.

Ramaphosa announced a reduction of almost 50% in e-toll fees.

Soon motorcycles will pay 18cents a kilometre on Gauteng freeways, cars 30c/km, medium-heavy vehicles 75c/km and heavy vehicles R1.50c/km.

The maximum fee for a motorbike will be capped at R125 a month, for a car R225, for medium vehicles R875 and for heavy vehicles R2900.

Anyone not paying toll fees within a month of their being issued will pay double the amount owed.

Opposition parties went on the offensive after Ramaphosa's announcement.

DA leader Mmusi Maimane said: "...the biggest fight must now take place at the polls in 2016, when voters have the opportunity to demonstrate the consequences of the ANC's announcement."

But Gauteng premier David Makhura said the new system had nothing to do with the local government elections next year.

When Makhura announced a review of the e-toll system in January, the ANC in Gauteng said the review was necessary to regain voters who had punished the party for the tolling system.

The review recommended a "hybrid" funding option, to pay for phases 1, 2 and 3 of the Gauteng Freeway Improvement Project.

Ramaphosa said motorists who had not paid e-tolls would not be able to renew vehicle licences.

Opposition to Urban Tolling Alliance chairman Wayne Duvenage said linking e-toll debts to renewal of licences would have "massive unintended consequences".

"There will be more unlicensed cars on the road and that will create a whole new black market for fake licence discs," said Duvenage.

Outa said a reduced monthly cap on tolls covered 10% of motorists.

It said the new system still did not address the high cost of collection.

Howard Dembovsky, chairman of Justice Project SA, said new laws might be needed to address constitutional issues arising from linking e-toll fees to licence renewal.

The decision by the government - and by extension the ANC - has also alienated its alliance partner Cosatu. The trade union federation said yesterday it stood by its congress decision to reject the "commodification of public roads".

Its central executive committee would meet soon to deliberate over the matter.

Ramaphosa said the new system still relied on the user-pay principle in a way that would safeguard the integrity of the fiscus and the South African National Roads Agency, and its ability to raise funds to meet its obligations.

Payment of tolls can be made online, at Sanral kiosks, at a post office and at certain retail outlets.

But e-toll registrations are at an all-time low, according to figures released by Transport Minister Dipuo Peters.

They show the number of newly registering e-toll users in Gauteng has plummeted in two years from more than 350000 a month to just under 20 000.

Peters also revealed that monthly expenditure for Sanral stood at R66-million, with the bulk of the money, R47-million, going to toll operations and maintenance.

According to Maimane, Gauteng motorists have simply refused to pay tolls, causing payments to drop from R120-million in June last year to R45-million in January.

The breakdown

• No amnesty - the government is not letting up on payment. Motorists will still have to pay outstanding accounts, albeit with a discount;
• Charges for e-tolls are now 30c/km, down from 58c/km;
• No payment if you pass through the gantries less than 30 times a year;
• A reduced monthly cap applies to all categories of vehicles;
• Those who fail to pay their debt within a set time will have to pay double; and
• No car licence renewal if you have not settled your e-toll account.