E-toll advertising battle
After receiving numerous complaints in April 2012 about the e-toll prices displayed on road signs, the Advertising Standards Authority of South Africa (ASA) has said that it will not rule on the matter.
In an e-mail sent to one complainant, an administrator for the ASA explained that this is because it does not consider road traffic signs as advertising.
“Unfortunately, we therefore have no jurisdiction in this matter,” the ASA said.
The consumer complained to the ASA that only the cheapest tariff category is shown on the South African National Roads Agency’s e-toll road signs, suggesting that either the worst case be shown or multiple signs put up to show the other tariff classes.
SANRAL published five categories of e-toll users in the government gazette dated 13 April 2012:
- Category 1: E-tag user who is registered with the Agency
- Category 2: E-tag user who is not registered with the Agency
- Category 3: VLN [vehicle license number] user who is registered with the Agency
- Category 4: Alternate user
- Category 5: Day-pass user
Category 1 users attract the lowest tolling rate, and these are the prices displayed on SANRAL’s signage. These are almost 6 times lower than the rates “Alternate users” that fall under category 4 can expect to pay.
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