E-toll cases have cost state R6m

The government has spent more than R6m on legal fees to fight public and political opposition against e-tolls.

25 Feb 2014

About R6m has been spent on fighting legal action mounted against Sanral's e-tolling. Image: GCIS

Minister of Finance Pravin Gordhan revealed this in answer to a parliamentary question from FF Plus MP Anton Alberts.

"The total amount spent on the Opposition to Urban Tolling Alliance case is R578,643.87 and, on the Tollgate Action Group case, R229,568.00," said Gordhan. The combined expenditure on these two cases is R808,211.87. Gordhan did not provide details of the balance of the R6m.

However, he said state attorneys had been assisted in both cases - by six advocates in the Outa case and two in the challenge by Tollgate Action Group, of which Alberts is the spokesman.

Outa abandoned its legal battle last year after it ran out of money after it was reported that Outa still owed its lawyers R1.8m and would need a further R1.5m to continue its legal challenge.

Outa contended that the public had not been properly consulted about the costs motorists would incur as a result of the e-tolls.

TAG's court case was struck off the roll in the Pretoria High Court last year after the judge ruled it was not urgent. But, said Alberts, another court case to stop charges was on the cards.

Outa has labelled Sanral's claim that 1.2m e-tags have been "taken up" as "hogwash".

Source: The Times via I-Net Bridge

Source: I-Net Bridge

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