E-tolling a multi-billion rand giant mistake

Not even court cases have stopped the main ‘hitman’, the South African National Road Agency Limited (Sanral), from forging ahead with the much-hated user-pay principle.

The only thing saving motorists from this glorified highway robbery is that President Jacob Zuma has still not signed the Transport and Related Matters Amendment Bill into law, the e-toll bill.

Indications are that he could be awaiting the outcome of the appeal case or for the 2014 general election to pass, particularly with the DA
having promised it would scrap e-tolling should it win control of the golden province.

In the latest developments, it has been revealed that the Administrative Adjudication of Road Offences (Aarto) legislation has shown low levels of payment by law-breakers and failure by Aarto to follow the law in Pretoria and Johannesburg.

Under Aarto, piloting since 2008, data is sent out on the Electronic National Traffic Information System (eNatis), the same system that will be used by Sanral to send e-toll invoices.

Now, if eNatis is failing Aarto, it doesn’t require a Sanral or government official to figure out what it will do to e-tolling.

If Zuma signs the bill and e-tolling begins, the ANC risks losing Gauteng to the DA, and the court could rule against the project.

The majority of motorists are against e-tolling and will most probably refuse to pay. Should the system be implemented, it is doomed to fail.

Sanral and government officials have their backs against the wall. They must do the honourable thing, admit that e-tolling was a bad idea and scrap the project. The forever-forgiving South African public will turn a blind eye to their giant mistake.

There will be plenty of other government jobs and projects for the likes of spokesperson Vusi Mona and CEO Nazeer Ali.