Tolling "has some problems" says Busa

There are still "some difficulties" that need to be addressed before the Gauteng e-tolls can be implemented‚ Business Unity SA (Busa) said last week after comments by government confirmed that e-tolls would go ahead as planned.

Government said the South African National Roads Agency (Sanral)‚ needed the tolls to recoup money invested in the Gauteng Freeway Improvement Project.

"There remains widespread criticism of the impact which e-tolling will have on the regional and national economy and it is important to use the time available to ensure that confidence is built in the final decisions before they are implemented‚" Busa said.

Following widespread complaints over the implementation of the tolls‚ authorities decided on a further 30-day period to consult with stakeholders before the final tariffs are announced.

Busa said it believed further opportunities to interrogate the decision-making process would lie in the High Court hearing scheduled for November 26 and the public hearings to be held by the parliamentary portfolio committee on transport.