Transport department will save R30m a month after eNatis takeover

The transport department will save about R30 million a month after taking over the country’s national electronic information system (eNatis), newly appointed Transport Minister Joe Maswanganyi has told the media.

eNatis developer Tasima accused the Road Traffic management Corporation (RTMC) of unlawfully storming and seizing control of the Tasima premises in Midrand from where the system was operated.

The company said they had lodged a petition with the Supreme Court of Appeal (SCA) for leave to appeal against Monday’s ruling in the High Court in Pretoria, which evicted Tasima from the premises and forced them to hand over the system to RTMC.

Judge Neil Tuchten on Wednesday turned down Tasima’s application for leave to appeal against his ruling, saying it had no prospects of success, but Tasima said its petition to the SCA meant that that the eviction order had been suspended.

“This is unlawful self-help, spoliation and constructive contempt by RTMC, and its officials who were also found to be in contempt by the Constitutional Court in November 2016 and on many other occasions by the High Court,” Tasima said in a statement.

RTMC and the department approached the High Court in Pretoria for an eviction order after Tasima failed to comply with a November 2016 Constitutional Court order that gave it 30 days to hand over the system.

Maswanganye denied that RTMC had acted unlawfully. He said the Constitutional Court had made the order against Tasima in November last year, and it was not ambiguous.

He confirmed that the sheriff had assisted RTMC to help secure the premises and that officials have now secured the system and were fully in control.

“We believe we have come to the end of the road when it comes to legal battles. We are more than ready to run eNatis.

“… We want to assure the public that the system will be secure and will not be disrupted.

“… When we took over last night there were a few problems, but no serious technical glitches.

“… We have trained staff members at RTMC. We also have trained personnel in provinces and municipalities,” he said.

The minister stressed that they had no intention to have an adversarial relationship with Tasima or to fight with them forever. He thanked them for their work in establishing the system and requested Tasima to ensure a smooth handover.