Fiscus can't sustain e-toll uncertainty says Gordhan

The fiscus cannot sustain a prolonged period of uncertainty over the manner in which the R20bn cost of the Gauteng freeway would be funded by the South African National Road Agency (Sanral)‚ Minister of Finance Pravin Gordhan said last week.

He appealed to motorists to "do the right thing" and pay the e-tolls‚ which are due to be implemented 30-days after the government has gazetted the new tariffs.

Addressing a joint meeting of Parliament's finance committees on the medium-term budget policy statement‚ Gordhan castigated the Opposition To Urban Tolling Alliance (OUTA) saying comments by its leader were "extremely irresponsible".

OUTA has threatened court action over government's decision to proceed with e-tolling but Gordhan said this would delay finalisation of the funding of the debt for months‚ and potentially several years, if the court process proceeded to the appeal court and even higher courts.

"That uncertainty cannot be allowed. We cannot, within this fiscal framework, provide backup for these sorts of propositions on a completely nebulous basis‚" Gordhan said.

"We cannot have this cloud hanging over our heads. We must start providing for the repayment that Sanral must make on this debt."

Gordhan said statistics derived from the gantries on the highway showed that people would not be paying more‚ on average‚ than R100 to R150 a month. He said inflated numbers were being put out to the public.

"We believe the public should not be discouraged from doing the right thing‚" Gordhan told MPs.