Furore builds over e-tolls
The QuadPara Association of South Africa has lodged a complaint of discrimination with the human rights commission against Sanral over Gauteng’s e-tolling system.
Ari Seirlis, CEO of the association accused Sanral of overlooking the needs of the disabled community in the implementation of the user-pay system. He also accused Sanral of misleading disabled people by stating that they were exempt from e-tolling. Seirlis said the association had tested Sanral’s claim and inquired at e-toll offices, its retail stores and the call centre and found this not to be the case.
“No one on the ground is aware of any exemptions for disabled people, there are no applications for this purpose and no announcements were made regarding this … It was a political statement,” he said.
He said wheelchair users and the blind were most affected by e-tolling because public transport was not conducive to their needs, forcing them to rely on their own transport. However, he explained that most disabled people did not drive and received lifts from others. He said disabled people should therefore receive an e-tag exempting them from e-tolling, which could be handed over to the driver that transports them.
Meanwhile, Opposition for Urban Tolling Alliance (Outa) has urged the public to continue its resistance to Sanral’s e-tolling system.
“Outa will shortly convey new initiatives to empower society with civil courage to stand fast and reject this ill-conceived policy,” said Outa chairman Wayne Duvenage following the announcement that e-tolling would commence in December.
Despite transport minister Dipuo Peters urging the public to accept e-tolling and co-operate with its processes, Outa said it was not a legal requirement to buy an e-tag, adding that “people must do what they believe is right to resist this farce”.
The alliance said it was disappointed that the government had decided to proceed with e-tolling in Gauteng.
“The minister’s announcement that e-tolls will commence on 3 December has hugely ominous consequences for our country,” Duvenage said.
“E-tolling is a complex system and simply cannot succeed without a very high level of voluntary and committed compliance.”
Duvenage said Outa feared that the government’s disregard of the public’s mass opposition to the freeways system would result in e-tolling being a “costly failure” that could have been avoided.
