Motorists without e-tags will pay more

In questions to the department, spokesman Sam Monareng said that road users would have the option to rather be recognised by their number plate.

"They will have the option to be recognised by either their vehicle licence plate number or by an e-tag," he said.

"But an e-tag is much easier and will afford discount benefits."

The eNatis system would do the "administrative work" in recognising a registered road user without an e-tag, but one would be seriously "disadvantaged".

Gauteng road users without e-tags could pay up to R0.58c/km, rather than a proposed tariff of R0.40/km, for motorists with one, he said.

"The South African National Roads Agency Limited (Sanral) will request all Gauteng e-road users to register for e-toll."

An e-tag works much like pre-paid cellphone airtime, fits on the front windscreen of a vehicle and is scanned by toll gantries.

Warnings to pay up will be sent to users who have relocated from other parts of the country, and who do not have a Gauteng registration on their vehicles.

"Those now living in Gauteng must still get an e-tag if they are using the roads. Reminders will be sent if you are a regular user."

Visitors to Gauteng would have to phone the e-toll call centre, or visit the e-toll Customer Service Outlet to register or obtain a day pass, if using the tolled roads.

"The system will pick up every vehicle in the country, as long as it's registered," Monareng said.

Once the registration for e-toll opens, e-toll account registration can be done on www.sanral.co.za, at an e-toll Customer Service Outlet, and by contacting the e-toll Call Centre and participating retailers.

Locations of e-toll customer service outlets, as well as participating retailers will be available on www.sanral.co.za.

The department did not make clear how it planned to deal with influx and delays when the time came.

Those who do not adhere to the tolling system will have a seven day grace period.

"Failing which administrative fees will apply and a debt collection and legal process will commence," Monareng said.

"Law enforcement on the network will increase, the equipment on the gantry will take a photo of the vehicle and using the eNatis and third party databases, track the user."

An e-tag will be approximately R49.95.

However, once the road user registers their e-toll account, the R49.95 will be credited to the e-toll account and toll transactions will be set off against this amount.

Following uproar over the original tariffs for Gauteng tolling, it was announced earlier this month that tariffs could be R0.05/km and R0.09/km cheaper for cars, minibuses and motorbikes with e-tags.

However, transport minister S'busiso Ndebele is yet to pronounce on the final approved toll tariffs.

According to the proposals users of light motor vehicles would pay R0.40/km instead of R0.49/km, minibus taxi drivers R0.11/km instead of R0.16 and bikers R0.24 instead of R0.30/km.

For medium vehicles, the toll fee was reduced from R1.49/km to R1 and for large vehicles from R2.97 to R2. For commuter buses the cost would be reduced from R0.50/km to R0.36.

Organisations who initially opposed tolling reacted saying that tolling would still pose a financial burden on already "overtaxed" road users.

Source: Sapa