/ 18 October 2013

Outa lacks funds to appeal Supreme Court’s e-tolls ruling

Outa Lacks Funds To Appeal Supreme Court's E Tolls Ruling

The Opposition to Urban Tolling Alliance (Outa) does not have the funds to appeal the Supreme Court of Appeal's dismissal of its challenge to e-tolls, chairperson Wayne Duvenage announced on Friday.

"Outa will not appeal the judgment of the Supreme Court of Appeal. Outa is constrained by shortages of funds," he told reporters in Johannesburg.

"We are exhausted from a funding point of view. We still owe our lawyers R1.8-million and it will cost R1.5-million to continue. We realised that we are out of money."

Duvenage was addressing the media in Johannesburg after a meeting with the Outa board on Monday.

He said it had met to decide the way forward, and after input from various role-players had realised it did not have the funds to continue the legal battle and should instead find other ways of fighting e-tolls.

Alternatives routes
Outa could not do it if motorists did not come on board and join the fight, Duvenage said.

He urged motorists to not buy e-tags, and said it was not illegal to not have an e-tag.

"Outa does not have an objection. What we are concerned about is how tolling is done in this country," he said.

Duvenage said tolling was forcing people to use alternatives routes and this would have consequences.

The Supreme Court of Appeals dismissed Outa's challenge against e-tolls on October 9.

Duvenage said that since the decision, Outa had received some donations and he thanked the donors.

Going forward, Outa would educate society to know their rights and what to do when in certain situations around e-tolls, he said. – Sapa