No decision yet on e-tolls

Thursday, May 27, 2021

Government has not made a decision on the future of the e-tolling system in Gauteng, the Ministry of Transport said in a statement on Thursday.

“At the moment, the Ministry of Transport is seized with the responsibility of ensuring that beyond a determination of whether the e-tolls are scrapped or not, proper decisions are made with regard to how road infrastructure rollout and maintenance in this country will be financed.

“This is what the Minister of Transport and his counterparts in the national government are determining at present and at the right time when all that has been finalised, an announcement will be made,” said the Ministry.

This comes as the Gauteng Department of Roads and Transport has reiterated its position and emphasised the importance of promptly resolving the issue of e-tolling system in the province.

“MEC for Public Transport and Roads Infrastructure Jacob Mamabolo is on record saying that the provincial government has been seized with this matter with a view to oppose its implementation in the province,” the provincial department.

The MEC has indicated that the provincial government is eagerly waiting the announcement by national government on the future of e-tolls.

“As we look forward to the announcement by national government, we reaffirm our view that e-tolling system in its current form burdens Gauteng residents on a matter that involves the national economy and the economies of neighbouring states. As we anxiously wait for the decision, the provincial government believes that it has put forward a compelling argument for the scrapping of e-tolls,” Mamabolo said. – SAnews.gov.za