Gauteng freezes new tolls

29 February 2012 - 02:24 By AMUKELANI CHAUKE
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Gauteng transport MEC Ismail Vadi says he and Transport Minister Sbu Ndebele have put the brakes on the next phases of the e-tolling system amid growing public opposition.

Sibusiso Ndebele. File photo.
Sibusiso Ndebele. File photo.
Image: ELMOND JIYANE

The system, which is part of the Gauteng freeway improvement project, will force motorists to pay 30c a kilometre following Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan's announcement of a R5.8-billion budget allocation towards the project to lighten the tolls burden.

Vadi said in Johannesburg yesterday that a political decision had been taken to stop the remaining phases of the project.

"Both the Department of Transport's national minister and my department have taken a clear decision that the second, third and fourth phases of the Gauteng freeway improvement project . we will not proceed with that," he said.

The R20-billion project is intended to upgrade about 560km of Gauteng's roads network and to date work on 185km has been completed.

Jack Bloom, DA Gauteng caucus leader, last week threatened legal action to stop e-tolling despite Gordhan's budget injection to ease the burden on motorists.

Vadi said he was not concerned about the threat.

"Launching a court application ... can't stop this project.

"I think the cabinet has responded sensitively and positively to the outcry.

"I think the opposition parties are now just being foolish; that's my frank view of the matter."

Ndebele said in Cape Town yesterday that lessons had been drawn from the e-tolls debacle.

"One of the key lessons we've learned ... is that never again will we have a situation where a city or province takes a decision that has monumental national consequences.

"In future, we will consider very carefully, and discuss and accept the implications of any decision of that kind," he said.

Ian Ollis, DA spokesman on transport, said Ndebele and parliamentary transport committee chairman Nozabelo Bhengu had conceded that the e-tolling system was "poorly planned and lacked a proper funding model".

"The DA believes that this project should never have been allowed to go ahead without a proper funding model being agreed to by Gauteng, the national Department of Transport and the Treasury."

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