Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi has promised there would be ‘no turning back’ on the scrapping of e-tolls.

This was despite Lesufi stating on December 31 that the planned deactivation of the e-tolls system on that day would be postponed to ‘finalise key components of the memorandum of understanding between the national and provincial government’.

“The matter will be finalised in the new year [2023],” his statement read.

“Premier Lesufi wishes to assure Gauteng residents that there is no turning back on doing away with e-tolls,” the statement read.

“The premier is thrilled with the progress made thus far by the technical team assigned with deactivating the e-tolls billing system.”

According to the statement, the notice to switch off the system will be gazetted with the actual switching off taking place 14 days after the release of the gazette.

This process is expected to take place early this year.

Meanwhile, the Organisation Undoing Tax Abuse (Outa) announced it was not surprised by the delay in scrapping e-tolls.

“Over the past few years, the authorities have indicated several dates and deadlines for the defunct scheme to be scrapped and missed them all,” it said.

“Following Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana’s announcement on October 26, 2022, of a new financing mechanism for the Gauteng freeway upgrade debt to replace the failed e-toll scheme, Lesufi indicated that the e-tolls would be scrapped as soon as Gauteng reached an agreement with National Treasury.”

Outa said this meant that until the memorandum between the province and national government has been concluded, the gazette will not be published and Sanral will continue charging e-tolls.

“The very small percentage of road users who are still paying e-tolls are wasting their money because the likelihood of getting a refund is slim to zero,” said Outa CEO Wayne Duvenage.

“Those who have refused to pay for this irrational and expensive scheme will not be subjected to all the negative consequences that Sanral had once threatened to apply. Therefore, while the government continues to dilly-dally over the scheme’s final billing date, we suggest that the few who continue to contribute towards this defunct scheme should stop doing so now.”