Peters announces e-toll 'reprieve'

Cape Town - Transport Minister Dipuo
Peters on Tuesday announced a "reprieve"
for the users of Gauteng's toll roads.
Opening debate in Parliament on her
department's budget, she told MPs this
was being done "to make it easier for
people to comply" with e-tolls.
The concessions included a "further
extension of the payment period to avoid
the VPC process that would negatively
affect vehicle owners".
Peters said users would "have an extended
payment period of 51 days, from the day
they pass through the gantry, as opposed
to the [current] seven days".
They would also receive the time-of-day
discount.
"A non-registered user will receive... 60%
off the alternative tariff if they pay within
51 days."
For registered users, the following
"reprieves" would be introduced:
- a 48% e-tag-holder discount;
- time-of-day discounts;
- frequent-user discounts, and;
- a "R450 calendar-month cap for class
A2/light vehicles".
Peters said, to applause from ruling party
benches, that she trusted the concessions
"will go some way towards lessening the
financial burden on the part of users".
She also told the House that the user-pay
principle remained a policy of government.
"We urge the users of the tolled Gauteng
road network to continue contributing
towards the building of a better South
Africa... to move our country forward.
'Register for e-tolls'
She urged those who were not registered
for e-tolls to do so, including MPs.
"It is our responsibility, as a collective of
lawmakers, to make sure that we
encourage South Africans to be responsible
for that which they would want to have."
Speaking later in the debate, DA MP
Manny de Freitas told Peters the public
had unanimously rejected e-tolls.
"This issue has been handled poorly from
the very beginning," he said.
Labelling the review announced last week
by Gauteng premier David Makhura as
"nothing more than a public relations
stunt", he called on the minister to appoint
a parliamentary committee to review e-
tolling.
He also challenged her to tell the House "if
Sanral still intends to pursue the
prosecution and criminalisation of some
one million people who have not paid their
e-toll bills".
Non-payment
Earlier on Tuesday, the National
Prosecuting Authority (NPA) said
prosecutors had been appointed to work
with the SA National Roads Agency
(Sanral) to deal with non-payment of e-
toll.
"We have assigned two prosecutors to
work with Sanral with the view to establish
whether the activities by some motorists
constitute an offence in terms of the Sanral
Act," NPA spokesperson Nathi Mncube
said.
"Section 27(5)(a) makes it an offence to
refuse or fail to pay the amount of toll that
is due and is punishable on conviction with
imprisonment or a fine."
The e-toll system was implemented across
Gauteng on 3 December, following several
court challenges and widespread public
opposition.
Many motorists have refused to get an e-
tag or pay their e-tolls.
Last week, Makhura announced a panel of
15 people appointed to assess the socio-
economic impact of e-tolls in the province.
The panel, which will meet for the first time
on Thursday, will assess the effect of the
Gauteng Freeway Improvement Project on
the economy and on Gauteng residents.
It would invite proposals and submissions
from residents on proposed solutions. The
panel would submit its findings and
recommendations to the provincial
government.
SAPA