Government will think twice about tolls in future

(Image: GCIS)

Speaking during Tuesday's debate in the National Assembly, Cronin answered a question from a Congress of the People (COPE) MP saying that the contentious project was started when one of that party's founders, Mbhazima Shilowa was Gauteng premier.

"However, we cannot turn back the clock. But we would if we could," Cronin said.

Cronin said that the lessons learnt from the Gauteng Freeway Improvement Project were the reason why the Presidential Infrastructure Coordination Commission was started.

"This is exactly why the presidential infrastructure coordination commission was established to carefully assess what infrastructure we have and where we spend our money," Cronin said.

Government 'listened' to concerns

He said that government had listened to the concerns about the freeway project and had put R5.75bn towards it, reduced private vehicle fees from 60 cents to 30 cents as well as a range of other measures.

Cronin said research showed that the poor would hardly be affected as they would be travelling mostly in mini-bus taxis and buses that would not be charged.

He said the research showed that 98% of the users would be "rich middle class people".

Cronin attacked, what he said were, the Democratic Alliance's proposal that the fuel levy be increased to pay for the toll road saying it was unfair to the rest of the country.