It has been about six months since e-Toll gantries were switched on in Gauteng and people around the country are receiving e-Toll invoices without going through gantries.
Ballito resident David Francis received his first invoice from SANRAL after his car supposedly went through an e-Toll gantry in February.
The car has exactly the same number plate his wife’s Kia Picanto, which has not left the province in months.
Since that first invoice, Francis has received four invoices from SANRAL and five speeding tickets. Each invoice shows a picture of the car, a grey VW Golf with his number plate.
Francis tried to get SANRAL to sort out the problem.
“I phoned them but just getting someone to speak to is a nightmare. I explained the situation to them and was told that I have to complete a certain document. We searched their website but could not find it,” said Francis.
He went to Umhlali SAPS to open a case of fraud as he was worried his wife would be arrested if she drove around with so many incorrectly issued outstanding fines. The case is being investigated by an inspector in Johannesburg.
Francis is still not sure how a car could be driving around with the same number plate.
“We went to the licensing department, which said the number had been registered to another vehicle in the past,” he said.
Francis was told that there is a seven year period where the number lies dormant. After that time has passed, the number might be used again.
“We have to drive around with a letter from Umhlali SAPS just in case we get pulled over,” he said.
A comment from SANRAL had not been received at the time of going to print.
According to the Automobile Association of South Africa (AA), close to 10 percent of vehicles in Gauteng have incorrect or cloned number plates.
“Unfortunately this behaviour exists, leaving you at risk of false claims against your name. According to SANRAL’s rules, it will be up to you to deal with the admin hassle of proving that your vehicle was not driven on their toll route”, the AA website states.
To date, Francis’s phantom VW Golf has run up an e-Toll bill of over R2000, not to mention the speeding tickets.
“There is probably another invoice waiting for me in the mail,” he said.
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