E-toll prosecution process begins

[WaxLyrical]

The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) has assigned prosecutors to begin the process of charging people who have not paid their e-tolls, Eyewitness News reports.

This is according to the NPA’s Nathi Mncube, who told the news outlet today, 15 July 2014, that two senior prosecutors have been assigned to handle e-toll cases.

The advocates will take on 40 test cases, and will head to court “when they feel ready,” EWN was told.

According to Justice Project South Africa head, Howard Dembovsky, reports about the move come as no surprise.

“Sanral’s e-tolls ‘marketing strategy’ has always involved a strong element of fear mongering by threatening people with criminal records and other life-changing consequences for resisting their unjust and unduly expensive system of e-tolling – and simply cannot hope to get anywhere near to anything even remotely resembling ‘compliance’ without it,” the JPSA head said.

Dembovsky said it was intriguing, however, that the NPA would “risk prosecuting people when Gauteng Premier David Makhura’s so-called ‘panel of review on e-tolling’ has just been announced to much fanfare.”

Gauteng premier David Makhura announced in his State of the Province Address on 27 June 2014 that e-tolling in the province will be reviewed.

Makhura said that the new e-tolling panel will solicit proposals on how to find new solutions for funding the province’s road infrastructure.

The panel will only be concluding its report and handing it to the Minister of Transport on 30 November 2014.

Dembovsky said that the prospect of being turned into “artificial criminals” by Sanral and the NPA would have a skewing effect on the assessments made by the panel.

It is believed that over 1 million people are refusing to pay for e-tolls and thus would have to be prosecuted.

“Two prosecutors, operating in the already overburdened South African criminal justice courts system, don’t stand any chance of making a significant dent in this figure,” Dembovsky said.

Both the JPSA and Opposition to Urban Tolling Alliance (Outa) have re-committed to standing behind motorists who face prosecution.

“We genuinely believe that a properly thought out and mounted criminal defence will lead to the acquittal of those accused of this so-called ‘crime’. We therefore urge anyone summonsed by the NPA to approach Outa the second that they receive summonses,” the JPSA said.

http://businesstech.co.za/news/general/62811/e-toll-prosecution-process-begins-report/

 

[McGuywer]

http://mybroadband.co.za/vb/showthread.php/630923-E-toll-prosecution-process-begins-report

 

[Slamz]

My MD this morning told us if any of us are in the 40 being prosecuted, we must let him know... the company will back us up with legal aid

 

[rrh]

The spam has also started.

E-Z Pass very kindly offered to sort out my problems for me. Given that I have never been near one of the toll roads ...

 

[ISP cash cow]

Seems to me to be another bullying tactic, a lot of people have mentioned that they are not going to pay until the first cases get prosecuted. I have a feeling that SANRAL and the NPA are going to try and "prosecute" without actually taking the cases to court, in order to try and scare people into paying their bills.

Also if you are the first to be prosecuted JPSA has asked people to contact them as they will help with the legal aspect of it.

 

[Cius]

Changes nothing. No way they will prosecute 1 million citizens. Also before you get the criminal record you can just settle the bill at the last moment. Court cases cost millions, settling bill not so much, its a system that can never work provided we all stick to our guns and refuse to pay.

 

[Priapus]

Changes nothing. No way they will prosecute 1 million citizens. Also before you get the criminal record you can just settle the bill at the last moment. Court cases cost millions, settling bill not so much, its a system that can never work provided we all stick to our guns and refuse to pay.

Settling the bill is not as easy for some as you may think. Some of us have bills in the tens of thousands.

 

[House]

Changes nothing. No way they will prosecute 1 million citizens. Also before you get the criminal record you can just settle the bill at the last moment. Court cases cost millions, settling bill not so much, its a system that can never work provided we all stick to our guns and refuse to pay.

Not really.

The moment charges are opened and you want to settle the bill, you will need to sign an acknowledgement of guilt. Wham - fingerprints taken, bill paid and criminal record.

 

[bromster]

Why should one citizen be faced with a bill for tens of thousands of rands just for the privilege of driving on roads which other countries provide for free? This E-Toll thing is just ridiculous.