Chattery about the official break-off from the Gauteng e-tolling system is seemingly still ongoing behind closed doors, according to the premier’s office.

Gauteng premier spokesperson Vuyo Mhaga says the provincial government is working on ditching the system and organising a debt repayment strategy for the Gauteng Freeway Improvement Project (GFIP).

The announcement that the system would be deactivated was initially made in December 2022.

National Treasury and the National Revenue Fund had since 2022 planned on agreeing with the Gauteng government on the province’s commitment to settle its portion of the South African National Roads Agency (Sanral) debt.

“The scrapping of e-tolls has been agreed upon by both national and the provincial governments. Currently, there is an engagement on the repayment modalities with the technical team, which continues to work hard, seeking the best solution to resolve the matter.

“I am confident that the discussions are at the tail end and the province is planning to use e-tolls to fight crime in Gauteng,” says Mhanga.

‘Delaying the scrapping’

The Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu) in Gauteng and DA said the Gauteng and national governments were delaying scrapping e-tolls.

Cosatu Gauteng secretary Louisa Modikwe says: “The e-toll system was meant to be scrapped at the end of last year, but it is still functional months later. Sanral has collected about R272.5m from Gauteng motorists between January and July. Parties involved in the decision to scrap e-tolls have still not reached an agreement on how to end this disastrous saga.”

Modikwe adds that in 2023, Lesufi confirmed that almost R6.9b would be refunded to motorists who have been paying for e-tolls, however, that remained a dream for motorists.

Gauteng shadow MEC for roads and transport Fred Nel remains disappointed that motorists are still expected to settle their invoices for e-tolls while Lesufi sought funding.

Nel alleges the national government’s current financial difficulties are the reason for the delay in scrapping the e-tolling system.

“This is worrying, as the longer it takes for a resolution, the higher the debt to be repaid by Gauteng. The timelines for the ending of e-tolls have once again been shifted. This time, Premier Panyaza Lesufi is promising motorists that e-toll gantries will be switched off by the end of the year.

“This promise is nothing new, as last year Lesufi boldly announced that e-tolls were a thing of the past. He repeated this promise earlier this year in his State of the Province Address (Sopa).”

Nel says the system has been unwanted since 2013.

Debt

National Treasury in 2022 said that the government would take over the existing debt shared between national and provincial governments.

Sanral’s total debt in 2022 amounted to R45.936b.

The Gauteng provincial government was expected to pay 30% while the national government would cover 70%.

Gauteng earlier in the year orchestrated the use of the e-toll gantries in the fight against crime and Sanral offices as a licence renewal facility.

This idea was announced by Lesufi during his Sopa in February.

The project employed hi-tech face and car recognition tools and incorporated drones and panic buttons installed in the communities.

Mhaga says the e-toll infrastructure would augment work done by the police.

No agreement yet

Sanral spokesperson Vusi Mona at the time told Pretoria Rekord that Sanral had been in discussions with the Gauteng Department of Transport and National Treasury,

Mona, however, says that Sanral could not confirm Gauteng’s plan as nothing was set in stone as yet.

“No agreement has been signed. We cannot confirm if the contents of a final service delivery agreement would allow for this [crime-fighting tools].”