OUTA: e-toll tariff no different

Opposition to Urban Tolling Alliance (OUTA) has rejected the Minister of Transport’s claims that adding to the fuel levy will increase inflation.

“OUTA has consistently said that they are willing to pay for GFIP and other national road projects but reject the excessive and unnecessary costs associated with e-tolling. The national fuel levy is one source of funding which can be used to fund prioritised national road projects. In fact, the various e-Toll economic reports commissioned by SANRAL themselves, promote the fuel levy and direct transfers from the fiscus as the most cost efficient method of funding infrastructure projects well ahead of e-Tolling which comes with massive administrative burdens and costs.”

OUTA made the statement following the recent announcement that e-tolling will be implemented with “reduced toll” rates.

The statement also said the Gazetted tariffs are no different than those published and subsequently withdrawn earlier this year.  

“Government has also been selective about their claimed support for the user pay principle. While many may agree with the theory of user pay, most reject it in the application of GFIP e- tolling, as it imposes caps on high volume users and exempts others which contradicts a user pay principle, aside from the simple fact that a user pay policy is not applied consistently by Government.”

OUTA is encouraging the public to use the opportunity to comment on the Proposed Toll Tariffs (Gazette # 35756) and the Toll Exemptions (Gazette # 35755) which have been published in the Government Gazette.  A clear message of e-Toll rejection should be e- mailed to Mphahlet@dot.gov.za.

The judicial review of the e-Tolls will begin on November 26.

More information can be found on OUTA’s website - www.outa.co.za