E-tolls debacle bad for SA's image says economist

[Derrick]

E-tolls debacle “bad for SA’s image”

Government efforts to introduce e-tolling and a high court order stopping it have raised questions about the state’s ability or willingness to guarantee debt, Business Day reported on Monday...

[froot]

I do agree it looks bad. The thing is, they should have thought it through thoroughly beforehand and put out feelers as to the public's thoughts about it.

No one minds paying for the new roads, we all benefit from it, but please don't screw us over like these e-tolls would (or will, if it indeed will continue).

[nerf]

I think the ANC is rather bad for our countries image

[Dups!]

I think the ANC is rather bad for our countries image

Oh, please!!! Such empty posts are bad for our country's image. Granted, the ANC screws up a lot- okay, some idiots within the ANC do- but they have done some things right. It actually is a good thing that we have a multiparty democracy even though at this stage it favours the ruling party.

Things are changing albeit at a snail's pace and the ANC will get its own. In fact, all the other parties will get their rewards depending on how they treat their voters/ population. Politics are a dirty game and no party is squeaky clean, they are all the same but others do a better job of soothing its members and the country at large.

Anyway, I personally think this e-toll saga is good for the country's image cause it shows that we as the population will not take things lying down. Isn't this part of a democracy? Everywhere in the world there are protest and challenges to different governments and we are no different.

[VJB 449]

I think the ANC is rather bad for our countries image

+1

[Garyvdh]

ag shame! I think at this point we really don't give much of a rat's ass.... although we probably should.

The Government tried to ram this through despite all the problems, despite massive public opposition, despite all the warnings and caveats... and now they are sitting with egg on their faces.

Excuse me while I savour the moment. I know it might hurt us economically in the long run, but better that than have a pointless stupid tolling system that would have done nothing but rape us 24/7/365.

[Chevron]

This is the governments own fault for pushing this through in the first place.

[zululami]

Okay... Pravin Gordhan shared a budget of over R1-trillion earlier this year and 'the world' is fretting over a R20-billion rand project?

People just like to be alarmists. If anything this 'debacle' should advertise South Africa's judiciary prowess and that democracy is still alive and well.

Of course there are many of us who thrive on looking on the dark side of life...

[marine1]

So wait let me get this right. SA's image is tarnished and they cannot service debt. Does it make a difference to me? No.
In the time since the circus has been in charge we have had : water, electricity, crime, roads breaking up, corruption, medical care, army, police force and just about every other thing they touch, falling apart so tell me how will this affect me? It won't.
This will only stop gvt corruption and save the man on the street from paying for it

[froot]

So wait let me get this right. SA's image is tarnished and they cannot service debt. Does it make a difference to me? No.
In the time since the circus has been in charge we have had : water, electricity, crime, roads breaking up, corruption, medical care, army, police force and just about every other thing they touch, falling apart so tell me how will this affect me? It won't.
This will only stop gvt corruption and save the man on the street from paying for it

We do (or until recently did, at least, if we don't still), have the best debt rating in the world.

[UnUnOctium]

We do (or until recently did, at least, if we don't still), have the best debt rating in the world.

ROFL. Where do you get your facts from?!

[froot]

ROFL. Where do you get your facts from?!

Oh come on... you didn't know? (Sorry, I should have said credit, not debt). It's far from hidden knowledge.
Why do you think America has a bad credit rating? They give out money to everyone and charge low interest rates on it.

[UnUnOctium]

Oh come on... you didn't know? (Sorry, I should have said credit, not debt). It's far from hidden knowledge.
Why do you think America has a bad credit rating? They give out money to everyone and charge low interest rates on it.

Presuming you're talking about government debt (i.e. government bonds) the government is not a lender, it's a borrower. So they ask for x amount of money which they promise to you that they will return it after t amount of time with added interest i. The whole purpose of these ratings is to try and score governments on how well they keep their word and whether it's likely to improve/stay the same/degrade.

[DXL]

So wait let me get this right. SA's image is tarnished and they cannot service debt. Does it make a difference to me? No.
In the time since the circus has been in charge we have had : water, electricity, crime, roads breaking up, corruption, medical care, army, police force and just about every other thing they touch, falling apart so tell me how will this affect me? It won't.
This will only stop gvt corruption and save the man on the street from paying for it

Just to add my 2c into this thread.

Electricity has increased 300% from just 3 years ago.
Our Petrol price does not know what the meaning of coming down is.
Our Broadband prices are extremely high and havn't seen any real relief to the average man.
Our mobile call rates gets first prize in Africa for being the highest.
Our Politicians stay in 5 star establishments with 2 luxury cars each paid for by Govt.
Our Multinationals have fixed the bread price 200% higher for over 5 years and have got away with a small fine.
Our pride and Joy being MTN has the power to conduct underhanded deals between governments and pull it off.
( Which makes me wonder why competition never exists in the mobile space in South Africa )
Prisoners are being released simply because some that got caught need a way out.
Housing projects costing Billions we never see.
Our roads are decaying very rapidly with POTHOLES signs to warn you.
Stealing copper is not regarded as anything major, yet it can bring our country to a standstill still classified as petty theft even if it's few million rand.

What sort of country are we living in.
IMHO - Our government just does not know how to run a country.

A little example that recently amazed me that i share alot is Rwanda.
Rwanda wanted to intensify competition in their mobile sector and reduce tariffs and needed to get it done quickly.
The government extended and invite to one company only AIRTEL and the very next month when news got out even before Airtel stepped into the country MTN dropped data prices by 50%. How brilliant are these rwandans , can our government not think along those lines.

Allow private provincial operators to supply electricity to the GRID.
Current world refining price of petrol is 1/2 dollar per litre which = R4 where does the other R8 per litre go to.
ICASA simply cannot implement legislation - Here i dont know who is reponsible the staff or the man in charge but i guess BOTH.

DXL - Team

[j4ck455]

A little example that recently amazed me that i share alot is Rwanda.
Rwanda wanted to intensify competition in their mobile sector and reduce tariffs and needed to get it done quickly.
The government extended and invite to one company only AIRTEL and the very next month when news got out even before Airtel stepped into the country MTN dropped data prices by 50%. How brilliant are these rwandans , can our government not think along those lines.

The answer is no, this (not our) government cannot do the same since this government has its gravy train fingers in all the big cookie jars: Telkom, MTN, Vodacom, Neotel, Broadband Infraco.

Until such time as this government sells off the shares it holds in telecoms companies and no longer has a vested interest in protecting them from real competition, we will continue to be shafted by those same companies.