OUTA to proceed with e-toll appeal

The Opposition to Urban Tolling Alliance (OUTA) has previously highlighted their concerns regarding the poor judgement but are now confident that this judgement will be overturned.

While the legal e-toll debate has become very technical, road users must not be distracted from the simple fact that the urban e-toll scheme proposed by SANRAL remains an unacceptably expensive and inefficient way of funding infrastructure. In addition, both Government and SANRAL have not yet presented any convincing plan for alternative public transport and secondary road capacity, to accommodate current GFIP road users in order to try and decongest the highways. Further, the key argument of ‘user pay’ adopted by Government, has been found to be logically flawed by applying both various tariff exemptions and caps. Against this backdrop, OUTA again calls on Government to make public the GFIP Inter Ministerial Committee e-toll recommendation’s which were presented to Cabinet and enabled SANRAL to proceed with e-tolls.

OUTA’s decision to proceed with the appeal has been taken after in depth discussion by its supporters and support from the public, however, the ability to proceed with the appeal will depend on further much needed financial contributions from both the South African business community and the public.