Parliament cancels e-tolls debate as Mbalula sets a new date for final decision

As Minister Fikile Mbalula has promised to deliver a much-awaited decision on the future of the Gauteng freeway improvement projects (e-tolls) this month, parliament has postponed a debate on the matter.

The debate was set to take place on Thursday.

National Council of the Provinces (NCOP – the upper house of parliament) Chief Whip Seiso Joel Mohai on Wednesday alluded to the cancellation of the debate to give more time to the Gauteng government and the appointed e-toll task team.

“This to allow them some time to get consensus on some details that must be endorsed by all the requisite structures of government before this issue is finalised,” Mohai said.

The team was appointed by President Cyril Ramaphosa in July 2019 and included Mbalula and the Minister of Finance, Tito Mboweni.

Although several deadlines on the decision have been missed on the e-tolls in Johannesburg and Tshwane, Mohai was confident that the decision would be announced soon.

He said initially the set date for the debate on Thursday (May 13) was scheduled as there was an indication that a decision would be reached.

“I would like to propose that we defer the debate on e-tolls in Gauteng, which is scheduled on Thursday, May 13, to the third term or until the finalisation of all issues relating to the issue of electronic tolling in the Gauteng province.”

This comes at the backdrop of a freshly set date by Mbalula setting to make the decision this month.

Last week Thursday, May 6, Mbalula briefed the NCOP and indicated a decision would be made before the tabling of his department’s budget vote set for this month.

This after Mbalula failed to announce the decision at the end of March as he promised.

“We are engaging with the treasury and are at the tail end of our processes,” he said.

“We expect that in the next two weeks it (the decision) should be back at the cabinet. Before we take on our budget vote speech we should have come to you (NCOP) and the public to announce the cabinet decision on the e-tolls.”

He described the decision that has lingered over his department since 2019 as “a big decision to make,” and added that “it has taken longer than we would have liked”.

Mbalula said over the past years they had “gone back and forth” with the national treasury on the matter to reach the final resolution.

Organisation Undoing Tax Abuse (OUTA) CEO Wayne Duvenage said the missed deadlines were frustrating and suggested the government was indecisive on either pulling the plug on the scheme or summoning “millions” of motorists to pay their bills.

As indications of a decision being made have been flagged yet again, Duvenage said he hoped the government would resort to scrapping the system.

He said the cancelled debate was confusing and questioned why parliament was still debating the issue.

Duvenage said the system was a failed one as it was “financed by a handful of businesses and citizens who make up approximately 15% of motorists who remain reluctantly compliant”.

He attributed the lack of compliance to the system as a result of there being no “sufficient consultation” with the public before the systems were implemented.

DA NCOP finance member Dennis Ryder said the party was disappointed in the cancellation of the debate .

“Despite his (Mbalula) dismal track record when it comes to keeping his word or meeting deadlines, the chairperson and chief whip of the NCOP have cancelled the debate based on this assurance of a sudden resolution.

“The need for a debate on e-tolls transcends the issue of the continuation of this ill-advised, poorly planned, massively expensive financial disaster.”

The implementation of e-tolls in December 2013, has been met with public retaliation with many motorists refusing to pay.

Political parties and civil society organisations have also protested against the system, putting pressure on the government to scrap the unpopular means of collection.

RESPONDING TO QUESTIONS

In conclusion, we are determined to forge ahead with creating strategic partnerships with industry and civil society to weather the COVID-19 storm by implementing the measures we have identified. pic.twitter.com/UKVtlvlrtl

— ANC SECRETARY GENERAL | fikile Mbalula (@MbalulaFikile) May 6, 2021