E-tolling – an admin nightmare?

With e-tolling in Gauteng imminent following the gazetting of the final tariff charges in October, there are still many questions around implementation. All comments on the tariffs as set out in the Government Gazette have to be submitted by no later than November 9. This is the last legislative hurdle before the highly contentious e-tolling can get under way on Gauteng’s newly improved freeways. But this is not the end of the bumpy road for e-tolling, according to the Opposition to Urban Tolling Alliance (Outa). “The enforceability of e-tolling is a hot potato for Sanral,” said the organisation’s Wayne Duvenage. Despite losing a court bid earlier this month in the Supreme Court of Appeal to stop e-tolling, Outa maintains that with the e-tolling gantries all falling in different magisterial districts, it will be an administrative nightmare that has yet to be sorted out. “Sanral is now having to resort to proposals for enforcement through a separate court system,” reads a statement released by the organisation. “One imagines a reason for this action is because Sanral now realises the e-toll gantries fall in numerous magisterial districts, which poses a nightmare when managing disputes with road users across various courts in the region for the same Vehicle Licence Number (VLN).” According to Outa, the new toll system will undoubtedly bring additional costs to the court system notwithstanding its other cost implications. In the meantime the Road Freight Association (RFA) has called on its members to submit any comments on e-tolling before the November 9 deadline. The Department of Transport has also urged users of Gauteng freeways to participate in this final legislative process. “This will allow their views to be taken on board,” said a spokesman for the department. CAPTION E-tolls ... last legislative hurdle Photo: Shannon Van Zyl