Residents require clarity as e-tolls supposed shutdown nears

27 March 2024

GOOD calls on Premier Panyaza Lesufi and other stakeholders to come clean about the technicalities and timeline for the supposed shuttering of e-tolls.

In his State of the Province Address last February, Lesufi boldly claimed that the highly controversial e-toll system would come to an end on the 31st of March - just mere days away.

It should be noted that this isn't the first time the Premier has made such commitments. In October 2022 he also said that "e-tolls will be history in our province". 

Moreover, Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana made a similar promise in his mini budget speech at the time, but negotiations between the Treasury and Provincial Government didn't bear fruit.

Now, residents face another potentially false promise.

Premier Lesufi must come clean about what is going on behind the public pandering. 

It appears that the blame has now been shifted to SANRAL and the National Treasury to deliver on this promise but the provincial government must take  responsibility for its statements.

No clear answers have been forthcoming and no details or timelines were included in the national budget speech. 

Another point of clarity concerns e-toll users who have defaulted - and whether government plans on collecting unpaid e-tolls from users. 

It’s becoming clear that Lesufi has been sweet-talking the electorate ahead of the election, using the highly-publicized issue of e-tolls.

He has an obligation to come clean. 

On 29 May 2024, the electorate has a chance to show Premier Lesufi that false promises have consequences.

Issued by Matthew Cook, GOOD National Chairperson & Gauteng Political Manager, 27 March 2024