Cape Town files for interdict to stop toll road

11 October 2011 - 01:59 By NASHIRA DAVIDS
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Toll gantry on the N17, Germiston. File photo.
Toll gantry on the N17, Germiston. File photo.
Image: Simon Mathebula

As the City of Cape Town stepped into the ring to take on the South African National Roads Agency in court to stop construction of the highly controversial N1/N2 Winelands Toll Highway Project, farmers claim toll charges are going to cause a spike in food prices.

With Eskom tariff hikes, the increase in the price of water, fuel, rates, licensing for their vehicles, packing material and now the looming toll costs would ultimately be passed on to the consumer.

Sanral will start construction of the project early next year. The area includes about 105km of the N1 from the Old Oak Interchange to Sandhills in the Hex River Valley and more than 70km of the N2 from the R300 Interchange to Bot River.

Cape Town is the second area targeted for widespread tolling, as most of Gauteng's freeways will be tolled electronically from the beginning of next year.

According to the CEO of Agri Wes-Cape Carl Opperman, whose organisation represents approximately 5500 farmers in the Western Cape, there is also a major infrastructure problem.

"In the past, Spoornet used to transport goods up and down from the north to the harbours. But then we had to go on to the roads because rail services declined."

Opperman said he has been in discussions with Sanral since 2004 to highlight the impact the proposed toll system could have on farmers.

Last year, despite not being furnished with information on what the toll rates would be, Agri Wes-Cape conducted its own study.

It estimated the price of table grapes could be pushed up by 11c a carton, apples by 24c a carton, R4.20 a sheep and a whopping R27 for beef.

But in court papers filed in the Western Cape High Court, a more recent study by the city found the price increases could be even higher.

"High toll fees would not only have a severe impact on commuters, but could also cripple many farmers who export their produce via Cape Town.

"For example, Professor Jonathan Bloom, a professor in Corporate Financial Management at the University of Stellenbosch, estimates that the proposed toll gate between De Doorns and Worcester could cost grape producers in the Breede Valley an additional R4-million to R5-million a year and add 30c to the price of a carton of grapes."

The city filed its application for an interim interdict to stop Sanral from getting the ball rolling pending the outcome of an intergovernmental dispute between the city and Sanral.

Cape Town Mayor Patricia de Lille said Sanral has continued to move on the project despite the city's attempts to engage with the agency.

"We believe the proposed tolls could be unconstitutional given that their everyday effects will be borne almost exclusively by poor communities and not by more affluent citizens in wealthier areas unaffected by these tolls."

The city is concerned that traffic will divert from the N1 and N2 to municipal roads, saying it will have to spend "hundreds of millions of rands on widening municipal roads and upgrading intersections while the annual cost of additional road maintenance due to diversionary traffic could easily top R100-million".

Yesterday, Sanral voiced its disappointment with the city's actions. Sanral has until November 8 to file answering affidavits for the hearing due to start on December 6.

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