DEAR Editor,-
The Democratic Alliance in KwaZulu-Natal’s legislature has called for an urgent debate on a matter of public importance following SANRAL’s recent announcement that it intends introducing e-tagging to KwaZulu-Natal, a move seen in some quarters as a first step towards full-blown e-tolling.
SANRAL’s statements are both highly arrogant and simplistic. There has been no recent consultation with provincial legislature on the matter, nor has there been any briefing whatsoever with the province’s transport portfolio committee members.
The approach is simplistic in that the backlog on KZN road maintenance is the direct result of successive ANC governments and their failure to maintain what was once an excellent road network. It is this failure to allocate sufficient funding for looking after our roads and ultimately a dearth of leadership that has led us to where we are today.
The DA expects KZN’s Transport MEC to demand that SANRAL account to the legislature, the transport portfolio committee and stakeholders in the province. We expect the MEC to uphold the earlier promises of the ANC in KwaZulu-Natal that it will fight any form of e-tolling.
RAFEEK SHAH, MPL
DA KZN Spokesperson on transport
