Government will not scrap e-tolls - Nzimande

Nzimande was answering questions in the National Assembly on Wednesday.

He told MP’s that the upgraded highway network in Gauteng is critical for the country’s economic hub and that many businesses benefit directly from using the roads.

"Government thus feels strongly that e-road users that derive such economic benefit from the roads must pay for the use of the roads," Nzimande said.

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He reiterated that concessions have been made to ensure that South Africans using public transport are not left out of pocket. 

"Government will continue to engage with the citizens of Gauteng as continued non-compliance will lead to the deterioration of these road networks."

Nzimande says the African National Congress (ANC) in Gauteng’s call for e-tolls to be removed will be discussed at a national level. 

The ANC in the province marched to the Union Buildings on Friday, where it called on President Cyril Ramaphosa to bring an end to the controversial user-pay system. 

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"As much as the matter started as a Gauteng issue, it is now a national issue and needs to be resolved at that level and that is why the president has said to me go and come up with a method and a way of engaging the stakeholders, such that we are able to finalise this matter as soon as possible.

"By the way, in the ANC we don't shy away from debates which sometimes may even include debates amongst members of the ANC, so we're open to debating and engaging," Nzamnde said.