/ 7 July 2014

DA calls for parliamentary e-toll review

Auditor general Terence Nombembe gave Sanral's books the thumbs-up recently.
Auditor general Terence Nombembe gave Sanral's books the thumbs-up recently.

The Democratic Alliance plans to ask the transport portfolio committee to carry out the review over the coming days, Maimane told reporters in Johannesburg on Monday. 

“We contend because e-tolls were introduced by enabling legislation passed by the National Assembly, it’s the responsibility of Parliament to monitor the impact of its implementation,” he said.

This included whether its stated aims and objectives were being met.

Electronic tolling of several of Gauteng’s highways started at midnight on December 3 last year.

The DA welcomed a recent announcement by Gauteng premier David Makhura that e-tolling would be reviewed, said Maimane. But if the ANC was serious about the matter, Transport Minister Dipuo Peters should welcome a parliamentary review, he said.

Maimane said funding for road construction and infrastructure development should come from the fuel levy, which would negate the need for further e-tolls. 

“The e-tolls system is an economic burden that is putting further pressure on the strained finances of South Africans,” he said. 

‘Severely affected’
In his state-of-the-province address on June 27, Makhura announced plans to review e-tolling in the province.

“We shall set up a panel to review the impact of e-tolls and invite new proposals on how we can find a lasting solution to this matter, working with the national government, municipalities and all sectors of society,” he said.

“While we shall not promise easy solutions and claim easy victories, we must make it clear that we cannot close our eyes to the cries of sectors of our population who are severely affected by the cost of travelling across the province.”

He said deliberations were needed on how to finance road infrastructure.