Martins suggests road users get e-tags now

Image: GCIS

Martins dismissed as "unfounded and baseless" speculation that the government could reconsider implementation of its unpopular e-toll programme to charge for the use of freeways. He said motorists should rather concern themselves with acquiring e-tags in order to qualify for discounted tariffs.

Last month, the Transport Laws and Related Matters Amendment Bill passed through the General Assembly and was roundly criticised by opposition parties and trade union federation the Congress of SA Trade Unions (Cosatu).

"E-tolling is on track. It has been to Parliament and now it's waiting for approval by the National Council of Provinces and from there it will be implemented. I suggest you get your e-tags now so that you can get a discount," said Martins on the sidelines of a media briefing meant as an update of road deaths recorded during the Easter weekend.

The minister's spokesman, Tiyani Rikhotso, said there was no definite time line for how long it would take before e-tolling began.

"The National Council of Provinces will send the bill back to the National Assembly and from there it will go to the president.

"We can't say how long it will take for the process to come to an end because the bill is not in our hands. Parliament runs its own processes and we can't interfere," Rikhotso said.

He said there would be no further public consultation concerning the proposed tolls.

One of the major criticisms levelled at the Gauteng Freeway Improvement Project, as the main tolling project is called, has been the ability of the government to collect toll fees from users.

Addressing that issue, the minister said it would be the responsibility of the South African National Roads Agency (Sanral) to collect the tolls. He said he was satisfied with the agency's ability to do so and despite the high number of daily transactions at road gantries, enforcement would not be a problem.

Sanral will use the Criminal Procedure Act to ensure that commuters on the roads that are part of the Gauteng Freeway Improvement Project pay their tariffs.

Last week, it was reported that all nine provincial MECs who sit on the shareholders' committee of the Road Traffic Management Corporation (RTMC) had unanimously decided that the corporation should be shut down for failing to fulfil its mandate.

Referring to this, Martins said that nothing had been set in stone.

"We are discussing the matter. What we are looking at is how to make the RTMC work more effectively. We seek to maximise the expertise that the RTMC holds," he said..

Source: Business Day via I-Net Bridge