Prosecution of non-payers crucial

Policing and prosecution of non-payers will be the litmus test of e-tolling's success in the view of Road Freight Association (RFA) spokesman Gavin Kelly. He says the organisation has always maintained it does not mind the user pay principle as long as it is fair. “That means everyone who uses a road pays for it, including taxis and buses,” he said. “At the same time it, is still very much a wait and see scenario regarding how successful prosecution is going to be and how Sanral is going to handle this.” “If Sanral is unable to prosecute non-payers effectively we are going to have a problem and seeing how they go about it will be watched very carefully by many.” While Sanral and the Department of Transport have maintained that all systems are in place to efficiently and effectively implement e-tolling, it is not a sentiment that has been shared by all. The Opposition to Urban Tolling Alliance (Outa) maintains that systems are not in place to effectively prosecute non payers and the organisation’s chairman, Wayne Duvenage, has publicly stated that they remain convinced there will be hundreds of legal challenges brought against the system in the weeks to come.