Cape Town – Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa says thousands of motorists have responded positively to the new dispensation on e-tolls, with most asking how they can benefit from the new tariff discounts.
The Deputy President said this when he answered questions for oral reply at the National Assembly, on Wednesday.
He said the dispensation is fair, affordable and sustainable as it is a model that draws from the recommendations of Gauteng’s advisory panel that was appointed by Gauteng Premier David Makhura.
“As we speak now, the tolling system is receiving thousands of calls from ordinary motorists who are saying we want to know how to access the benefits that you announced.
“Thousands of them are doing so.
“The revenue that has been received just in the past month has started picking up and we certain that rather than a total rejection of this system, we are beginning to see people having a deeper and a better understanding of what the government has decided on,” he said.
The Deputy President’s statement comes after he recently announced a new dispensation on e-tolls that will see motorists paying up to 50% less on their tariffs, while those who have failed to pay would be eligible for a 60% discount on their debts.
According to the new dispensation:
- Class A1 (motorcycles and similar) will pay 18 cents per kilometre – about a 50% reduction;
- Class A2 (light motor vehicle and similar) will pay 30 cents per kilometre, down from 58 cents per kilometre;
- Class B (medium heavy vehicles and similar) will now pay 75 cents per kilometre, also a 50% reduction; and
- Those driving Class C (large vehicles and similar) will pay 150 cents per kilometre (also a 50% cut)
“Of course, tolling is always a difficult one because it means that there is an additional tax that is being levied on people but in this case, it is a case that people have to pay realising what the benefit is and the benefit as the panel found out has been great on the economy of Gauteng, it has reduced travelling time and has made people travel a lot better reducing their own travelling costs.
“The new e-tolls dispensation seeks to achieve a balance between the need, on the one hand, to finance the construction and maintenance of the freeway system that will serve Gauteng now and in the future and on the other hand, to minimise the financial impact on ordinary South Africans, particularly those from low to middle-income households who use Gauteng’s freeways,” the Deputy President said.
New dispensation benefits the economy, motorists
The Deputy Minister also said that the new dispensation was designed to be fair, affordable and equitable and that the advisory panel found, amongst other things, that the Gauteng Freeway Improvement Project has benefited the economy and the people of Gauteng through a better quality road system, reduced travel time, improved fuel efficiency, reduced vehicle operating costs and improved logistics efficiencies.
“However, it also found that, in its current form, the e-toll system places a disproportionate burden on low and middle income households.
“The new dispensation dramatically reduces the costs to all motorists travelling on Gauteng’s freeways. It does away with the costs of people who use them infrequently.
“It does not penalise people who do not have e-tags. And it provides extremely favourable terms for people who are currently in arrears,” he said. – SAnews.gov.za
