Gauteng ANC government is misleading the public with false announcements about scrapping e-toll system

27 May 2021

The FF Plus strongly condemns the misleading statements made by the Gauteng MEC for Transport, Jacob Mamobolo, during a radio interview as it created the impression that the e-toll system will be done away with.

It is not true. These statements are simply opportunistic attempts by the Gauteng ANC to regain some of the support it has lost. It is no secret that the e-toll system has caused ANC support in Gauteng to wane.

The FF Plus is of the opinion that the Gauteng ANC must use its time and energy to declare a formal dispute with the national government about the matter instead of giving false undertakings that the system will be abolished.

According to the SAFM journalist, Stephen Grootes, the sentiments about abolishing the e-toll system were expressed to him during the morning programme Sunrise. The journalist quoted the MEC in a Tweet as saying that e-toll is something of the past, that "we are already living in a post-e-toll period" and that the system is being "scrapped".  According to a report published by The Citizen a little later, the MEC indicated that his words had been twisted.

The FF Plus finds it problematic that the Gauteng ANC government keeps taking a stance against the e-toll system and is creating the impression everywhere that e-toll will be abolished, while the national government is obviously not of the same opinion.

The Minister of Finance, Tito Mboweni, once again expressed particular support for the "user-payment" system in his budget speech.

It is clear that the national government is dragging its feet in this regard seeing as the Minister of Transport, Fikile Mbalula, missed his own deadline by which he was supposed to have given a final verdict on the future of e-toll.

The FF Plus maintains its stance that the provincial government would make better progress with the matter if it would formally declare a dispute with the national ANC government in terms of the Intergovernmental Relations Framework Act, which paves the way for taking the national government to court.

If the national government does indeed scrap the e-toll system, it would surely be a wonderful victory for all road users in Gauteng.

Issued by Anton Alberts, FF Plus national chairperson and MPL: Gauteng, 27 May 2021