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Bell tolls for etolls? Your thoughts on the Gauteng road payments review

The much-berated etoll system on Gauteng’s freeways is a thorny issue for most who make use of it on a daily basis, but there could be some light at the end of the tunnel. The controversial tolling system will be up for review, according to Gauteng Premier David Makhura.

He explained that a panel to review the controversial electronic tolling system will be established, and added that issues regarding the system needs to be address.

“While we shall not promise easy solutions and claim easy victories, we must make it clear we cannot close our eyes to the cries of the sectors of our population who are affected by the cost of travelling across the province. We must all move from the premise that we need good roads in our province to support economy. How we finance such infrastructure must be deliberated upon and agreed,” he said during a media briefing.

But the news has been met with “cautious optimism” from the vocal anti-tolls Justice Project South Africa. “This is not the first time that such a panel has been established and the last time this was done through the inter-ministerial committee, absolutely no blind notice was taken of any inputs civil society tried to make,” it said in a media statement.

Howard Dembovsky of JPSA, is of the opinion that the review panel has to be a correct representation of the Gauteng population.

“Any review panel that is established this time around must be representative of civil society, not just comprised of a bunch of politicians, bureaucrats and companies whose financial future is dependent on e-tolling continuing,” he added.

The statements come after it emerged in late May that SANRAL’s debt collecting arm Electronic Toll Collection (ETC) head said “on-road enforcement” could be brought into practice.

But forget the experts. What do you think about the potential for a review?

[Image – Josh Smith on Twitter]

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