DA to lodge e-toll complaints with Consumer Commission

Note to editors: The following remarks were delivered by DA Gauteng Premier Candidate, Mmusi Maimane, during a campaign stop in Shoshanguve today.

Today I am in the north of Gauteng to launch a campaign to assist residents of this province with their e-toll complaints.

The DA appeals to the people of Gauteng to send us their complaints, which we will then lodge with the National Consumer Commission.

It has become very clear over the past couple of weeks that the e-toll billing system is not working.

In fact, residents of this province are being unfairly bullied into paying their bills. Mounting evidence suggests that many of these bills are incorrect or are sent without due process or prior invoicing. 

The e-tolling system has already been unfairly forced on Gauteng and now residents are faced with obvious extortion tactics to enforce their compliance. This cannot be allowed to continue.

Having travelled to Shoshanguve and other parts of the north of Gauteng today, I know how far these areas are from work centres and how many gantries you need to travel through.

In fact road users from this area will past through at least 14 gantries on a return trip to Johannesburg at an approximate cost of R37, 92 per day. Users will reach the minimum threshold of R450 per month with an e-tag; without an e-tag, the monthly rate will be almost double.

I have a plan to fight e-tolling both now and if elected Premier of Gauteng. On 4 and 5 March, the DA's court case challenging the classification of the bill governing the roll out of e-tolling will be heard. If elected to government I have a plan to interdict further routes and declare an intergovernmental dispute over current routes.

I will take this message and my vision for Gauteng to every corner of this province over the next few weeks.

Residents who would like to lodge their billing complaints with the Consumer Commission should send an email to [email protected] or tweet a picture of their sms or bill @DA_News using the hashtag #No2etolls.

Statement issued by Mmusi Maimane, DA Gauteng Premier Candidate, January 16 2014

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