Scrap e-tolls — the only ‘dispensation’ that works, says DA
DA speaks in anticipation of Ramaphosa’s e-toll announcement this afternoon.
“Today Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa is expected to announce more ways to pay for e-tolls, instead of scrapping them altogether – despite the fact that less and less road users are willing to pay for this unfair and unjust system,” said John Moodey MPL DA Gauteng provincial leader.
According to the National Department of Transport, since January there has been a dramatic drop in the number of people registering for e-tolls, as well as a steady decline in revenue collected.
“This disproves the assertion by Gauteng Premier David Makhura and the e-toll review panel that people are not fundamentally opposed to paying tolls on Gauteng’s highways.
“People are feeling the financial crunch of increases in municipal rates, electricity, petrol and income tax, and are simply not willing or able to pay e-tolls,” said Moodey.
“Instead of scrapping e-tolls altogether, the response is to introduce stealth methods hidden in licensing and other fees to force people to pay.
“The fact is that the e-tolls system does not have the ability to cope and deal with debt collection, and the introduction of the hybrid model will further complicate an unsustainable system.”
He added that while the economies of Gauteng and the country are reeling from the effects, and unemployment spirals out of control, Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa and Gauteng Premier David Makhura are standing at a crossroad today.
“They could act in the interests of the poor and working class by scrapping e-tolls altogether, or open a Pandora’s Box of civil disobedience and non-compliance on a scale never seen before,” he said.
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