E-toll case in Constitutional Court

According to the interdict granted by the High Court in Pretoria on April 28, a full review first needed to be carried out before electronic tolling of Gauteng's highways could be implemented.

The SA National Roads Agency Ltd (Sanral) and National Treasury are appealing the order.

The Opposition to Urban Tolling Alliance (Outa), which was granted the interdict, would oppose it.

Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan applied to the Constitutional Court to set aside the court order preventing Sanral from implementing e-tolling.

Gordhan argued that Judge Bill Prinsloo had ignored the principle of the separation of powers. He said the decision to halt e-tolling would negatively affect the economy.

In its reply, Outa said Sanral was still not ready to launch the project.

Last week, the Democratic Alliance said it had applied to join the Constitutional Court case.

The High Court in Pretoria would hear further arguments in the e-toll case on November 26.

Under the project, motorists would pay over R0.35/km to travel on some of Gauteng's major roads.

The project had been scheduled to start on April 30, but was postponed after a meeting between the ANC and its alliance partner, the Congress of SA Trade Unions.

Source: Sapa via I-Net Bridge