POLITICS

Gauteng Health spends more than R1m on e-Tolls – Jack Bloom

DA MPL says system remain as an unnecessary expense for govt depts and business that still pay them

Gauteng Health spends more than R1 million on e-Tolls

5 December 2021

The Gauteng Health Department has spent R1 064 420 on e-tolls for its vehicles since January last year.

This is revealed by Gauteng Health MEC Nomathemba Mokgethi in a written reply to my questions in the Gauteng Legislature.

According to Mokgethi, the Department has no outstanding e-toll payments except for R65 000 for a current invoice in process.

The e-tolls in Gauteng were launched 8 years ago on 3 December 2013, and have cost the Department more than R4 million over this entire period.

Despite Premier David Makhura’s frequent promises that the e-tolls would be scrapped, they remain as an unnecessary expense for government departments and those business that still pay them, although most motorists don’t.

There is no sense in continuing the e-tolls as the collection costs outweigh the money that is brought in.

Government’s excuses are wearing thin – the e-tolls need to go!

Issued by Jack Bloom, DA Gauteng Shadow MEC for Health, 5 December 2021