Mbalula promises again ‘decision on e-tolls imminent’
Transport Minister Fikile Mbalula has once again promised that a decision is imminent on the future of the unpopular Gauteng e-toll system in Gauteng.
Mbalula made the remarks during his department's budget vote in Parliament on Wednesday.
The future of the system was meant to be announced last year April but there has been no word from government on the unpopular user-pay system.
Mbalula told MPs he is still in talks with the finance minister and an announcement is expected to be made “very soon”.
"We have been working closely with the Minister of Finance (Enoch Gondongwana) to finalise outstanding matters that will enable the final determination by Cabinet on the funding of the Gauteng Freeway Improvement Project, better known as e-tolls.
“We are alive to the adverse impact the delay in making the final decision on e-tolls has on the SANRAL balance sheet and its ability to raise capital for its catalytic projects. This is a matter Cabinet has on its radar and a pronouncement will be made once the final decision has been made, I can report that the decision is imminent even though it took us a long time," said Mbalula.
But the Organisation Undoing Tax Abuse’s Wayne Duvenage says the minister has been singing the same song for more than 18 months.
"He has been saying this for a long time now. We have heard the statement being made before and we are looking forward to what is the decision. What really that decision needs to be is to undo the decision of declaring this urban infrastructure toll roads, and we can move on with our lives and the few people that are paying can start saving some money."
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