Cabinet pushes through e-tolling legislation

Despite the inter-ministerial committee – under the leadership of deputy-president Kgalema Motlanthe – meeting with stakeholders to discuss e-tolling and possible alternatives, cabinet has approved the Transport Laws and Related Matters Amendment Bill for submission to Parliament.

According to cabinet, the bill had been necessitated by the development of the Gauteng Freeway Improvement Project (GFIP) as well as future plans for road infrastructure development.

“Apart from the physical infrastructure, the GFIP will result in the operation of a road network that involves the utilisation of ‘intelligent’ transport systems. An important component of the network is the Electronic Toll Collection (ETC) system. The Bill is essential to enable the implementation of the Electronic Toll Collection (ETC) system,” Cabinet said in a statement.

Wayne Duvenage, chairperson of the Opposition to Urban Tolling Alliance (OUTA) said that the fact that government forges ahead with legislation like this sends the message that e-tolling is still its chosen methodology of revenue generation, despite on-going talks with stakeholders.

“It is disappointing to OUTA, but is one of the reasons why our case needs to happen,” he told Moneyweb.

“One hopes that there is some light at the end of the tunnel following all these talks, but there has been no clear indication that they (government) value a possible solution out of the courts,” Duvenage said.

A date has been set for the full review hearing of the e-tolling case in the North Gauteng High Court for November 26.

National Treasury is appealing the decision to interdict e-tolling handed down in the North Gauteng High Court on April 28 this year. This appeal will be hear in the Constitutional Court on August 15.

“Despite the fact that Treasury is appealing the interdict… whether the appeal finds in favour of Sanral, this may only allow the interdict to be set aside and for tolling to commence, until such time as the review is heard in November,” OUTA said in a statement.

OUTA has raised R5.2m out of the R10.8m it needs for the court battle, according to information on its website.

Source: Moneyweb

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