Uncertainty still reigns over e-toll registration

The whole state of the
e-toll system on Gauteng
highways is still in flux,
with even the whole future
of the contentious scheme
undecided.
While the SA National
Roads Agency Limited
(Sanral) is still proposing
a start in February next
year, pressure from the
public and transport
industry and other bodies
has led to a ministerial
task team conducting its
own investigation while
the Gauteng provincial
government scheduled public
hearings in Johannesburg
last Friday (November 11).
While all this was being
arranged, transport minister
Sibusiso Ndebele in October
instructed Sanral to suspend
all processes related to the
tolling of national roads.
The suspension included
the planned phase two
of the Gauteng Freeway
Improvement Project (GFIP),
the Cape Winelands and
the Wild Coast, while the
government heard all the
views from the public on
the best possible model of
financing the debt incurred
during GFIP phase one,
which still continues.
So the GFIP issue – to
toll or not to toll – has not
been finalised.
However, Sanral is still
insisting that the processes
for registration and issuing of
e-tags – started on
November 1 – would go
ahead, to ensure that a
reasonable number of
vehicles was registered for
the “go-live” test phase
of GFIP.
This was to include the
members of SA’s road
transport industry. But is
the industry aware of the
procedure for registration for
e-tolling and how the charges
will work?
Not really, according to
truckers FTW talked to – but
who also referred us to the
industry body, the Road
Freight Association (RFA).
So we put the question – to
register or not to register? –
to Gavin Kelly, technical and
operations manager of the
association.
“While the RFA cannot
advise members to follow a
route that would prejudice
them,” he said, “it is
concerning that the rollout
of the tolling system is
taking place irrespective of
the concerns raised by the
RFA and many other fleet
operating associations. A
number of associations and
bodies are now actively
advocating not to register
for e-tags until Sanral has
resolved the operational
challenges still facing
the system. E-tags can
always be purchased at a
later date once the issues
have been resolved.
“So we have advised our
members not to register for
the system until our concerns
are addressed.”
“We have received no
response from Sanral in
terms of its recent request
for further discounts on the
proposed toll tariffs nor the
creation of new categories
to accommodate mediumsized
freight vehicles in line
with the tolling structure
implemented by other tollconcessionaires
across the
country.”
The RFA is still adamant
that the best method to
recover costs of development
and maintenance for the
GFIP remains a fuel levy
of around 35 cents per litre
countrywide.
“The costs to administer
and implement the collection
of tolls through the gantry
system remains an exorbitant
and fruitless expenditure
that the country should reject
outright,” said Kelly.