Cape tolling argument concluded

The City of Cape Town yesterday concluded its oral argument in the application to the Western Cape High Court to review and set aside Sanral’s proposed tolling of portions of the N1 and N2.

In a statement mayoral committee member for transport, Brett Herron, said they had brought a compelling case to the court, arguing that the Sanral board and the national minister of transport had  flouted government policy around the Winelands toll project, that the minister was fundamentally misinformed about the costs of the project and the sureties and that the minister had misconstrued his executive powers.

The City of Cape Town has maintained that it and the public were denied the right to a fair administrative procedure around the toll project due to the lack of a proper public participation process.

“The City has over the past two days made a compelling argument that the public participation process was a sham,” said Herron. “Those affected were not told what was happening and why. The notice to declare the highways as toll roads did not give the public any information about the purpose and the reasons.”

According to Herron, should the Sanral tolling decision stand, the people of Cape Town will, for a period of 30 years, pay a toll that has been unlawfully imposed.

Furthermore, public money amounting to nearly R50 billion in 2015 values will be spent on the project, according to the City’s calculations.
The court reserved judgement.