Cape Town — The Minister of Transport, Sindisiwe Chikunga, announced on Wednesday Gauteng motorists will no longer be required to pay e-tolls, commencing 12 April.
Speaking during a media briefing, Chikunga announced that the system has officially been scrapped after months of deliberation.
“At the end of last month, we published a notice in the government gazette to concerning the withdrawal of the toll declaration, popularly known as e-tolls. This declaration will be effective from 11 April from 23:59:59” she said.
“From the 12th of April 2024, road users will no longer be charged for the use of the e-toll network. This means that after midnight tomorrow, e-tolls will no longer exist in South Africa. However, the roads that formed part of this scheme will remain national roads. It has been a long process that started in December 2013 after we upgraded parts of the national roads in Gauteng.” she added.
[WATCH] Transport Minister Sindisiwe Chikunga says from April 12, road users will no longer be charged for e-tolls.#Newzroom405 pic.twitter.com/Oi1ARrXiPA
— Newzroom Afrika (@Newzroom405) April 10, 2024
Chikunga added that the gantry lighs and cameras installed on the national roads will remain to assist with road safety and with crime fighting, EWN reported.
The-tolls have been a headache for Gauteng motorists ever since it’s introduction by the South African National Roads Agency SOC Ltd (SANRAL) in 2013.
Moreover, government further emphasised that motorists will still be required to pay their outstanding debts off, with The Organisation Undoing Tax Abuse (OUTA) vocal about the scrapping of e-tolls, SABC News reported.
“I don’t know if there’s clarity and there are still things that are creating confusion. The historic debt is still there. So, if you have an e-tag and you haven’t been using it because of your e-toll debt, if you then out money on the e-tag, it will be sucked up by your e-toll debt, so we don’t know what will happen with the e-toll debt.” OUTA’s Stephanie Fick said.
Fick added that finances are also creating confusion as there is currently a R43 billion e-toll debt outstanding.
OUTA’s Stefanie Fick says although it is a good day that the e-tolling system has been officially scrapped after fighting for over a decade, it is concerning that motorists will still have to settle their historic debt.
Watch: https://t.co/RHwiI2IxUz#Newzroom405 pic.twitter.com/6Elyyfyuvy
— Newzroom Afrika (@Newzroom405) April 10, 2024
Follow African Insider on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram
Picture: X/@Dotransport
For more African news, visit Africaninsider.com
Compiled by Matthew Petersen
