Neelam Rahim | neelam@radioislam.co.za

2 min read
07 January 2022 | 3:01 pm CAT

The scrapping of the e-toll system on December 31 2022, was postponed by the Gauteng government. According to the provincial government, an agreement with the National Treasury to enable the deactivation of e-tolls had yet to be reached.

CEO of OUTA, Wayne Duvenhage, speaks to Radio Islam International to unpack the story.

In October 2022, the provincial government announced through the minister of finance that an agreement was reached on an alternative funding mechanism, and the last billing would be on December 31 2022.

According to Duvenhage, ineptitude, inability and indecisiveness have yet again been seen by the government as another deadline missed amongst several others in the past years.

Duvenhage further advises that there are no consequences for people not paying their e-toll bills as the government cannot summon, blacklist not withhold a driving licence as it is a defunct scheme.

However, he added that several businesses have signed contracts based on Business only being done with the government if e-toll bills are paid.

Meanwhile, the government still needs to provide clarity regarding the situation.

The final step of the scrapping process is to declare the roads non-toll; the government should put out another gazette to declare it as such.

Listen to the interview with Annisa Essack and Wayne Duvenhage on Radio Islam’s podcast.