Cape Town wins winelands court battle

The High Court blocked the tolling plans from going ahead before a court review, after a challenge from local government.

"We're opposed to the project entirely," Cape Town councillor Brett Herron told AFP.

The South African National Roads Agency Limited (Sanral) wants to toll stretches of the country's two main highways that lead out of Cape Town.

As well as being important arteries to "The Mother City" the routes are heavily used by tourists travelling to popular wine producing areas such as Somerset West, Elgin, Paarl, and Worcester.

Opponents argue projected traffic figures on which the plan is based had not materialised.

"And then we're concerned about the impact on poor, mostly black residents living on the outskirts of the city who will be most affected," Herron added.

The region currently has one toll point near Paarl. Sanral denies claims that project will affect the poor, saying that it will create jobs and boost tourism and GDP contributions.

The interdict will remain in place until the court review takes place. The challenge is the latest court battle against toll roads in South Africa as the roads agency seeks to secure more revenue from motorists.

In September, the country's top court cleared the way for the tolling of major highways around Johannesburg after a protracted legal process.

Source: AFP via I-Net Bridge