E-tolls announcement in mini budget ‘important victory’ - Lesufi

On Wednesday, Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana announced that the Gauteng government must come up with a solution to the controversial e-tolling system.

Lesufi says the announcement has brought the Gauteng government some relief.

"We believe that this is an important victory as it brings great relief to the people of Gauteng who have had to bear the brunt of paying e-tolls for roads which serve a national purpose.

"There will be further engagements with SANRAL regarding the repurposing of the e-tolls infrastructure, which we believe can be of use in the crime fighting strategy of the provincial government."

To resolve the etolls funding impasse Godongwana pronounced that the Gauteng government will contribute 30% to settling SANRAL’s debt and interest obligations, while the national government will cover 70%.

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Meanwhile, the Organisation Undoing Tax Abuse (Outa) has declared the latest developments as a "massive victory".

"For Outa, it was our biggest, longest campaign that ran for over 10 years, supported by thousands of contributing supporters.

"This is a massive victory for civil society, and Outa thanks each and every person who stood up against this irrational scheme,” says Duvenage, who pioneered Outa’s strategy and has been the voice of e-toll opposition for a decade.

"Outa believes that the MTBPS has signalled that Sanral’s pressure to finance the government guaranteed GFIP bonds through the failed e-toll scheme, is now over. There is no need for the Department of Transport, or Sanral to continue with the declaration of the Gauteng freeways as tolled roads."

Meanwhile Transport Minister Fikile Mbalula has welcomed the announcement.

He says that his department and the Gauteng provincial government will soon provide detailed information on the issue.