E-toll campaigners launch fund-raising project to cover legal costs

Taking on the South African government is an expensive endeavour, which is why the Opposition to Urban Tolling Alliance (Outa) has launched a fund-raising campaign. According to Wayne Duvenage, Outa chairperson, initial costs were estimated around R1 million, but as the work and the legal battle developed during March and April this year, they realised the gravity and size of the case was far greater than ever imagined. The organisation tasted its first victory at the end of April when Judge Bill Prinsloo issued a court order in the Pretoria High court against the roll-out of the e-tolling system in Gauteng. Whilst the South African National Roads Agency Ltd (Sanral) has so far not lodged any notices to appeal the ruling that prevents it from levying tolls on Gauteng’s roads until such time the entire system and decisions pertaining to it have been examined in a court hearing. “We have received the outstanding legal notes and the full costs of this case have amounted to approximately R3.9 million,” said Duvenage. After deducting R800 000, the initial sum of money raised by the SA Vehicle Renting and Leasing Association (Savrala) for legal costs, the organisation has set itself a target of raising R3.1 million. Duvenage said the fund-raising campaign would see the organisation calling on business and residents across Gauteng to contribute to the legal battle to prevent the province’s roads from being tolled. Three options have been set out for people wanting to contribute. These include a direct deposit into the organisation’s bank account or by visiting the OUTA website and making a secure online payment. The third option is to contribute R20 by sending an SMS with the word NOETOLL to 40773. “Once we have achieved our target amount we will turn off the payment channels to negate an oversubscription,” said Duvenage.