SABRINA DEAN – Outa chairperson Wayne Duvenage says he is confident the alliance has a winnable case and will be successful in its e-tolling appeal hearing in Bloemfontein this week.
The Opposition to Urban Tolling Alliance (Outa) is opposing the SA national Road Agency Limited as it attempts to enforce e-tolling in Johannesburg. Duvenage, who is currently on route to Bloemfontein for the two-day hearing, says society needs to stand up for its rights to transparent processes that are affordable.
“We believe this matter has now gone beyond the courts. We believe it now sits in the laps of society and win or lose this case there will be a mountain for Sanral to climb to introduce E-tolling in Gauteng,” he says.
Duvenage says Outa does not believe e-tolling is going to be a workable system. “In the medium term it will fail, as tolling projects of this nature have failed in other parts of the world where it is not supported by society due to the lack of transparency, the lack of trust, the high costs, a lack of engagement – all of these factors come into play,” he says.
Outa is asking the courts to have the entire e-toll system set aside. The North Gauteng High Court last year gave the go-ahead for Sanral to start billing motorists for use of Gauteng’s highways.
This has apparently not happened yet due to delays in the signing of the Transport and Related matters Amendment Bill. Duvenage believes the truth is that e-tolling has now become an election issue.