The announcement of the commencement of tolling in Gauteng saw the shares of the Austrian firm, Kapsch TrafficCom, who won the contract to operate the e-tolling, shoot up, the Saturday Star reported.
Vienna-based analyst at Erste Group Bank, Daniel Lion told the newspaper that governments decision to launch e-tolls on December 3 improved Kapsch's share price.
"It [the share price] has increased a bit these past few days since the announcement," he was quoted as saying.
According to the report, the price per share increased to 41 Euro (R599) from 30.16 Euro (R411.40) on August 28.
Kapsch TrafficCom has the majority shareholding in the electronic collection joint venture that won the multibillion-rand contract to build and operate e-tolling, the Saturday Star reported.
The Opposition to Urban Tolling Alliance (Outa) chairperson Wayne Duvenage told the newspaper that it was a clear indication that Kapsch's profitability was dependent on e-tolling.
"When the company said in June that it will be making R670-million in revenue from the project – that is the reason why e-tolling is expensive," he was quoted as saying.
Earlier this month, the Democratic Allaince and the Freedom Front Plus announced they would each bring high court applications to fight the constitutionality of the e-toll bill President Jacob Zuma signed in September.
A legal challenge to e-tolling by Outa was dismissed by the Supreme Court of Appeal on October 9. – Sapa