In government we don’t trust

Firstly, the government will exercise its right to collect levies and taxes irrespective of what you think.

Millions of Gauteng motorists were not properly informed of the plans to introduce e-tolling, nor given the opportunity to participate in the decision.

And the SA National Roads Agency has admitted that consultation was perhaps not sufficient prior to forging ahead with the e-tolling plans, yet it went ahead with it nonetheless.

Contracts were signed before getting buy-in from the target market – the people of Gauteng. The damage was already done when the court challenge was launched and smokescreen public hearings later conducted.

Secondly, there is nowhere to turn to once the government has decided on a project. It cannot have been coincidental that the Constitutional Court and the North Gauteng High Court warned against interfering with legislative authorities when judging on e-tolling.

On Wednesday, the Supreme Court of Appeal dismissed the challenge because it had taken too long, instead of dealing with the fact that e-tolling may be unlawful.

There have been widespread theories regarding the decision of the courts. Their independence has been questioned and rightfully so. How else would they explain their refusal to discuss the legitimacy of e-tolling, but yet be happy to dismiss the case on technical grounds?

Now let’s all sit back and watch the show unfold, see how municipalities and provinces will cope with additional pressure on the back-roads caused by e-toll rebels.

Another interesting chapter in this drama will be the enormity of the task of law enforcement agencies to prosecute e-toll defaulters.

Perhaps the biggest lesson of this saga has been never to trust the people you vote into power, as they turn against you once their bank balances inflate.

As the Opposition to Urban Tolling Alliance said, it is now up to the people of Gauteng to make e-tolling unmanageable.