Outstanding historical e-toll debt linked to the Gauteng Freeway Improvement Project (GFIP) will be written off after approval was granted for the South African National Roads Agency (Sanral) to conclude the scheme and resolve outstanding litigation.
The move brings finality to the e-toll system introduced to fund upgrades to Gauteng's freeway network and confirms that unpaid debt owed by road users will no longer be pursued.
The Department of Transport said the decision is intended to provide certainty regarding historical debt while supporting a sustainable approach to funding, maintaining and improving South Africa's national road network.
Debt collection to end
Outstanding and unpaid historical GFIP e-toll debt owed by road users will be written off, while Sanral will not pursue any further collection of debt linked to the scheme.
Motorists who paid e-tolls while the system was legally in force will not receive refunds.
The no-refund position arises from the fact that the levies were lawful at the time they were paid, before the toll declarations were withdrawn.
The write-off gives effect to the decision to close the GFIP e-toll scheme and provides finality for road users, Sanral and the fiscus.
Scheme closed in 2024
The approval follows the closure of the GFIP e-toll scheme and the subsequent withdrawal of the GFIP toll declarations, which took effect on 11 April 2024.
GFIP was implemented and operated by Sanral under the tolling framework and approvals that were in place at the time, with the e-toll system introduced as a funding mechanism for the upgraded Gauteng freeway network.
Transport Minister Barbara Creecy and Deputy Minister Mkhuleko Hlengwa welcomed the decision, describing it as a long-awaited step towards concluding the matter.
Creecy and Hlengwa said the decision will bring much-needed relief and ease the financial burden on road users, who are currently hard-pressed by high fuel costs linked to ongoing geopolitical developments.
User-pay principle remains
“Government reiterates that the close-out of GFIP e-toll debt is intended to provide certainty, resolve historical debt matters and support a sustainable approach to the funding, maintenance and improvement of South Africa's national road network,” the Department of Transport said.
“Government further emphasises that the user-pay principle remains an important part of South Africa's road infrastructure funding framework where it is broadly accepted by road users through negotiation and agreement, appropriately structured, legally sound and supported by clear policy certainty,” the department said.
