FF Plus challenges Gauteng ANC government to take national ANC government to court about e-toll
18 May 2021
During a debate on the e-toll system in the Gauteng Legislature, the FF Plus challenged the ANC to formally declare a dispute with the national ANC government in terms of the Intergovernmental Relations Framework Act to pave the way for legal action to be taken with regard to the e-toll system.
The FF Plus, furthermore, accused the ANC of misleading voters with its promises to abolish the e-toll system if it is not willing to take the necessary steps.
Instead, it seems that the ANC is more interested in winning the upcoming elections by paying lip service about abolishing the e-toll system, but it is not prepared to fight the battle.
On the one hand, the provincial ANC government says that the e-toll system must be abolished, but on the other hand, the national ANC government resists the idea. The Minister of Finance, Tito Mboweni, in particular, once again expressed support for the user payment system in his budget speech.
It is clear that there is a fundamental difference in opinion between the provincial and national governments which cannot be settled by means of informal negotiations.
The Minister of Transport, Fikila Mbalula, has set numerous deadlines for when the national government must provide its final verdict on the e-toll system, but not even his deadlines are adhered to.
The FF Plus demands that the Gauteng ANC government must show that it is serious about abolishing the e-toll system by publicly declaring that it will follow the formal process in terms of the Intergovernmental Relations Framework Act and start preparing for a possible court case.
Anything less than that would prove that the Gauteng ANC government is not being earnest about abolishing the e-toll system, but is merely trying to mislead voters in the runup to the local government elections, due to take place later this year, and the general elections to be held in 2024.
Issued by Anton Alberts, FF Plus national chairperson and MPL: Gauteng, 18 May 2021
