Pretoria - Government has noted concerns regarding the socio-economic impact of the e-toll tariffs and revised monthly ceilings will be proposed shortly, Finance Minister Nhlanhla Nene announced on Wednesday.
Delivering his 2015 Budget Speech, Minister Nene said: “I wish to endorse the Deputy President’s carefully balanced approach to resolving the Gauteng Freeway financing matter.
“Concerns regarding the socio-economic impact of toll tariffs have been heard, and revised monthly ceilings will shortly be proposed.
“We will include a national contribution to meeting the associated cost in the Adjustments Appropriation later this year”.
He said measures will also be taken to ease compliance and improve enforcement. However, he said cost recovery from road-users will continue to be the principal financing mechanism for this major road system.
Gauteng Premier David Makhura had already started to convene consultative sessions with all stakeholders to discuss the report of the advisory panel on the Socio-economic Impact of the Gauteng Freeway Improvement Project (GFIP) and the e-tolls.
This is a commitment the Premier made when releasing the advisory panel report last month to consult with the people on matters that affect them.
In July last year, Premier Makhura established the advisory panel with a mandate to conduct a comprehensive assessment of the socio-economic impact of e-tolls.
The advisory panel report has recommended that elements of the current e-toll system must be reviewed to address affordability, among others.
The main recommendation of the panel is that elements of the current e-toll system must be reviewed to address the questions of affordability, equity, fairness, administrative simplicity and sustainability. - SAnews.gov.za
