Gauteng govt remains opposed to e-tolls - Mamabolo
Gauteng MEC for Public Transport and Roads Infrastructure Jacob Mamabolo has reiterated the provincial government’s opposition to e-tolls.
The debate around the controversial user-pay system flared up again after Transport Minister Fikile Mbalula said a final decision on e-tolls would be made by the end of the financial year.
In a statement, Mamabolo said his department made a comprehensive submission to President Cyril Ramaphosa and Mbalula in which it set out the case for scrapping the system.
“We believe that they can resolve the e-tolls matter once and for all. We have made a compelling case clearly stating that it is not correct for residents of our province to be burdened with paying for e-tolls.”
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Mamabolo says the letter he wrote in November also rejected proposed Administrative Adjudication of Road Traffic Offences Act (AARTO) regulations as another method of enforcing e-tolls in Gauteng.
“We reject the proposed AARTO regulations which are another attempt to bring back the e-tolls system in our province. We are of the strongest view that the freeway network that is being tolled services the national economy and the Southern African Development Community as well as the international economy.
“It is therefore not fair to expect the people of our province to carry the burden.”
