Pretoria - The South African National Roads Agency (SANRAL) on Thursday said e-tolling in Gauteng will commence in the next two months.
Sanral’s head of communications, Vusi Mona, said the agency was awaiting the completion of the Parliamentary process, which is halfway done.
“As soon as the National Council of Provinces finalises the Transport and Related Matters Amendment Bill, the Bill will go back to the National Assembly for adoption.
“Transport Minister Ben Martins will then announce the tariffs, which will be followed by the necessary notice periods. That whole process will take about two months to complete. Thereafter e-tolling will start,” said Mona.
To date, there are approximately 600 000 e-tag registrations.
Sanral is urging Gauteng motorists to register for their e-tags so that they can qualify for discounts and also avoid the last minute rush.
Mona said there could be motorists who are hesitant to register because of the on-going litigation around the project.
“Some motorists may be erroneously waiting for the appeal application by Outa [Opposition to Urban Tolling Alliance] before they can consider registering. But that appeal has nothing to do with whether e-tolling should go ahead or not.
“That question was settled by the Constitutional Court last year when it set aside the interdict that prevented SANRAL from implementing e-tolling,” explained Mona.
In December, government welcomed the ruling handed down by the North Gauteng High Court regarding the implementation of the e-tolls. The court dismissed Outa’s application to have the e-tolling system set aside, as they claimed there had not been efficient public participation process by Sanral.
On Thursday, SANRAL thanked motorists and corporates who have come forward to register.
Motorists can register through an e-toll customer service outlet located at a mall or along the Gauteng e-road, by phoning the e-toll call centre at 0800 SANRAL (726 725) or by visiting SANRAL’s website at www.sanral.co.za.
Meanwhile, the agency dismissed “as grossly misleading” allegations that it will implement the same Open Road Tolling system in Cape Town as it has in Gauteng.
“Firstly, whereas in Gauteng we went out to borrow money in order to build the road, with Cape Town we will be appointing a concessionaire on a Build, Operate and Transfer basis. This means the concessionaire will finance and maintain the road, returning it to the state in a specified condition at the end of the concession period,” Mona said.
There will be toll plazas along the N1 and N2, with an option for motorists to either pay manually or use a lane that will require them to slow down, enable an e-tag fitted in their car to be recognised by the technical equipment at the toll plaza, deduct the required tariff from a motorist’s e-toll account, lift the boom and allow the motorist to pass through without having to stop.
“This is what e-tolling really means – paying your toll fees electronically. To those who value their time, the technology providing this convenience will be welcomed,” Mona said.
E-tolling was already operational at the Bakwena Toll Plazas for the past 12 years. - SAnews.gov.za
