How new e-toll plans affect you

Opposition parties went on the offensive after Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa's announcement regarding the new e-toll plans. The principles of the new dispensation have been strongly criticised with the opinions ranging from “ludicrous” to “scare tactics” to the accusation that this is doing nothing but holding motorists to ransom.

 

This morning Rian from The Complimentary Breakfast spoke to both Wayne Duvenage, Chairman for Opposition for Urban Tolling (OUTA) and Howard Dembovsky, Chairperson and founding member of the Justice Project South Africa (JPSA) and asked some of the burning questions to gain clarity on the reality of what awaits Gauteng road users.

 

Wayne Duvenage

Chairman for Opposition for Urban Tolling (OUTA) points out the flaws of the new e-toll dispensation with regards to criminal action and highlights why it has been deemed an unjust and unlawful system.

 

This is an intimidation tactic that they have tried all along. If you believe as a citizen that you have been treated unjustly, that this law has been introduced without the necessary consultation required of them in the constitution then you have every right to defy it. Stupid laws and unjust laws have to be disobeyed.

 

Howard Dembovsky

Chairperson and founding member of the Justice Project South Africa (JPSA) breaks down what Rhamaposa said yesterday and how the new e-toll dispensation will affect you.

 

Yesterday’s media release was just that, a media release – it is not law.

 

Main points from Howard:

- The settlement window period is for six months and not 30 days. Meaning people that have incurred massive e-toll bills, even at a 60% discount, are not going to be able to afford to pay within a six month period.

 

- The drop in the monthly cap from R450 to R225 is still a lot of money.

 

- The three different tariffs that we currently have on the freeways are going to be combined into one tariff and that is 30c/km.

 

 - Road users will have 30 days to pay any new e-toll bills that they incur, which will be paid at the 30c/km – if you pay on day 31, it will be 60c/km.

 

- If no payment has been made by the time your license disk needs to be renewed, the authorities will take the licensing fees without a licensing disk being issued in return.

 

- People with no money to pay toll fees might result in people seeing the need to renew their licenses as redundant, making their vehicles unlicensed and insurance null and void (insurance companies will not cover the cost should the driver be involved an accident).

 

Summary

 

Should you not make a payment within 30 days of receiving your invoice, you will be paying double the toll tariff. The new monthly caps will apply as follows:

Motorcycles: R250

Light vehicles: R450

Medium heavy vehicles: R1 750

Large heavy vehicles: R5 800

 

All users with e-tags and Sanral accounts will pay:

Motorcycles: 18c/km

Light vehicles: 30c/km

Medium heavy vehicles: 75c/km

Large heavy vehicles: 150c/km

 

Infrequent users will be “gifted” the first 30 gantry passes utilised in a year for free. The 31st gantry pass will see you receiving a bill which will include the cost of the preceding 30 gantry passes.

 

If you do not pay your bill, your license disc will not be renewed and you will only receive a new one when the debt has been repaid.

 

Jacanews gets former General Secretary of Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU), Zwelinzima Vavi, to comment on the e-toll announcement. To which he responds: Hell-no.