News

E-toll gantries to be repurposed as speed cameras and crime detectors

Despite the end of Gauteng's R20 billion e-toll system, the gantries will continue to serve as speed cameras and tools for crime prevention.

The controversial e-toll gantries in Gauteng, costing R20 billion, will remain in use despite the system’s shutdown, now repurposed for crime detection and speed monitoring.

Originally introduced to fund highway upgrades, the system faced strong public opposition, leading to its decommissioning in 2024, but the technology will continue to serve as surveillance infrastructure.

A report by BusinessTech states that while the gantries will no longer serve their original tolling purpose, they will remain an integral part of Gauteng’s road network in a different capacity.

The sophisticated technology installed on the gantries, particularly the CCTV cameras, will not go to waste.

The infrastructure is now being repurposed to enhance road safety and fight crime.

According to the report, this new approach was announced by former Transport Minister Sindisiwe Chikunga in February, who indicated that while tolling would cease, the gantries would still play a vital role incrime prevention.”

The report furthermore said that although no specific details were given at the time, a Sanral tender document issued in 2022 suggested that the e-toll infrastructure could be repurposed to serve as average-speed-over-distance checkpoints and a surveillance system for tracking stolen vehicles.

Throughout Gauteng, there are 43 gantries spaced at about 10 km intervals on the N1, N3, N12, and R21 highways.

BusinessTech reports that this puts each gantry at about R465-million each.

Also read: Newborn with birth defect left in filth at Steve Biko Academic Hospital

Do you have more information about the story?

Please send us an email to bennittb@rekord.co.za or phone us on 083 625 4114.

For free breaking and community news, visit Rekord’s websites: Rekord East

For more news and interesting articles, like Rekord on Facebook, follow us on Twitter or Instagram

At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
Stay in the know. Download the Caxton Local News Network App here.
Back to top button