E-tolls future to be finalised in new year

Mthembu on Tuesday briefed the media on the outcomes of last week’s cabinet meeting in Tshwane.

Transport Minister Fikile Mbalula earlier vowed that a decision on e-tolls would be made public before Christmas.

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President Cyril Ramaphosa tasked Mbalula, together with the Finance Minister Tito Mboweni and Gauteng Premier David Makhura, to find a solution to the unpopular user-pay system.

Mthembu says while the matter on e-tolls was discussed by cabinet, there was no finality reached on the issue

He says cabinet's main issue is finding mechanisms for motorists to pay for road improvements.

"The issue is what mechanisms would you like to use to pay for the upkeep of e-tolls.

"The Department of Transport has done a lot of work on the options available and what we were busy discussing were the most appropriate options, not only for the Gauteng e-tolls, but for our road infrastructure improvement in the country."

Mthembu maintains the future of e-tolls will be finalised in the next cabinet sitting.

Meanwhile, Mboweni hinted in his mini-budget in October that, while several options are being considered to resolve the stand-off over the system, it is not likely to be scrapped.