While driving on an improved N1 highway I was listening to 702 and once again that Botha guy was interviewed, this happen less than an hour ago. His name is Roelof Botha and he is an independent analyst.
I liked what he said, he said that when tackling this issue we should try and avoid being too emotive. Difficult to do but it's better to focus on facts than argue using emotions. He repeated what he said yesterday that paying through the toll roads mechanism is far better than paying through fuel levies. He also mentioned that the whole country (8 provinces) subsidizing one province (Gauteng) will not be fair and will not go down well with citizens if the fuel levy option is adopted.
He also stressed the fact that had the government not taken steps to legislate and approve the GFIP then Gauteng highways would not have improved and costs to businesses and consumers would today be far worse than they are today. He mentioned that there's still a lot of traffic on our highways, but if money was not spent to improve our highways then the situation now would be far, far worse.
The DA has challenged his findings, his response was that the DA hasn't read his report and are therefore making statements to score politically. He is basically challenging the the DA to read his report and take the debate from there.
Although Roelof Botha seems to be making a lot of sense, I couldn't help but be skeptical as to who commissioned him to do the study in the first place. Did some diggin on the web about his past and this is what I found
Director of GOPA Group SA (2005 project - Gauteng Provincial Transport Infrastructure Strategy); Economic advisor to Price Waterhouse Coopers for 17 years (PWC appointed unilaterally by the MEC to implement a “turnaround strategy” relating to the Strategic Public Transport Network for Gauteng & the Gautrain Concession Agreement.
Can someone confirm if the above is true or not? I found the above info from a comment posted by someone on the news24 website.
You do know the trucks pay tolls as well right? They also pay much than passenger cars.
I know and I agree, but the trucks that will be affected will be from which province mainly? Some trucks travel countrywide but how often do those trucks travel to Gauteng or end up in this province?
The toll fees will do the same, I think SANRAL sponsored him to say that.
That's possible.
We were meant to pay via the fuel levy, but to date there is absolutely bugger all information about how much of the project was funded through this. Your buds over at the ANC seem to be keeping it a closely guarded secret.
That's also possible, but if it was funded through fuel levies then how much of the GFIP cost was funded by the fuel levies.
They are not my buddies...........yet
And still we have no answer as to why tax-exempt taxi's get a free ride while tax-payers must pay tolls.
2 reasons, to get motorists to start using public transport (buses not taxis for people on this forum) and also because for someone earning R3000, being directly affected by the toll gate fees would be catastrophic for their basically non-existent budget. I personally know of people (grown up people) who earn less than R4000 a month and spend more than half of their salary on public transport (taxis) and food. So if they are affected what till they do? They will ask for salary/wage increases from their employers won't they? Which means small businesses will suffer a bit financially. Which means more strikes and disruption on the economy which means you and me will be indirectly affected by all this ...................... you know how it goes don't you?
People like me who are lucky enough to have a job and skills can be able to afford an extra R550 I think? We have to make adjustments on our finances though. Some of my friends drink every Friday and smoke everyday, surely if they cut down on their "sin" expenditures then a few cents would be freed so as to fund the R550?
I personally don't mind if taxi and bus users get a "free" ride on our roads. I don't mind subsidizing taxis and buses, even if the taxi driver will be ungrateful so much that he'll tailgate me
I know people don't care about the poor, but unfortunately they are people and subsidizing them (in a sustainable manner) is alright with me.
