Premier Makhura, your e-tolls confusion will catch-up with you at the ballot box

8 November 2018

As I have travelled the length and breadth of this Province during my Listening Tour, it has become more evident that the electorate has become disillusioned with the failing ANC.

One of the reasons for this is the e-tolling system that has been implemented without consulting the broader public in Gauteng.

As we head towards the 2019 general elections, e-tolls has once again reared its ugly head and has become a topic of widespread discussion.

What has become clear is that Gauteng residents do not have the means to pay for e-tolls due to the rising cost of living, which has since been exacerbated by the recent increase in VAT. The people of Gauteng and the country have been taxed and burdened by years of economic mismanagement by the current government.

As was seen during 2014 and 2016, e-tolls are once again being used as an electioneering tool by the government to try and win back the votes lost during the last local government election.

Most importantly, it was the failing ANC that conceived e-tolls, created e-tolls, constructed e-tolls and continues to charge people for this unwanted system.

This system is literally taking thousands of rands from people’s pockets, from businesses, and from people oppressed by poverty, every day through a failing ANC government programme.

What is worse is that the new Finance Minister, Tito Mboweni has clearly endorsed e-tolls. While you in Gauteng are singing a different tune, for the sake of votes, saying that e-tolls have no place in the province.  At the same time the Minister of Transport, Blade Nzimande, has echoed the same sentiments as the Minister of Finance Minister.

The harsh reality of the matter is that the only way to end e-tolls is to not renew the contract that is coming to an end in December this year.

The question remains how will the province reconcile its differences with the mother body, which is singing from a completely different hymn sheet?

The DA has on numerous occasions declared that e-tolls have no place in Gauteng and we will continue to fight this battle.

During questions posed in the National Assembly by our MPs, it was revealed that the bulk of the money collected by e-toll agent, Kapsch Austria leaves the shores of South Africa and very little is then left for the maintenance of our roads.

Mr. Premier, if you are serious about ending e-tolls, you will act now and publicly commit to not renewing the contract this year.

Simply marching on your own government is not enough, the time has come for you to put your money where your mouth is and act now.

The ball is now in your court and only you can influence the ruling party to end e-tolls now as you have rightly acknowledged that this system is not working.

The fact, Mr David Makhura, is that you are fast building a reputation for grand deception. You can’t lie to all of the people, all of the time.

The people of Gauteng await your response to these issues, not to me, but to these issues.

Ultimately, as the DA we are committed to getting rid of e-tolls when the people of Guateng vote for change in 2019.

Issued by Solly Msimanga, DA Gauteng Premier Candidate, 8 November 2018