Hold e-toll referendum – DA
“WE WILL not pay e-tolls.”
This was one of the chants by DA members in Gauteng yesterday during a demonstration in which its provincial leaders declared their intention not to register for e-tolls.
DA members had gathered outside the offices of Premier David Makhura yesterday in full view of metro police and SAPS members.
DA members picketed outside Makhura’s office to demand that he put the issue of e-tolls to a referendum for the people of the province to declare their choice.
DA Gauteng leader John Moodey said the premier had reneged on his promise to stand by residents in their quest to have the tolls scrapped.
“On September 30, 2014, when asked about the review panel’s work and whether the premier would scrap e-tolls, the premier told the Gauteng legislature: ‘If needs be, I am prepared to stick with the people of Gauteng’.”
“Unfortunately, the premier did not stick to his promise,” Moodey said.
The DA leader said Makhura had instead told residents that he was negotiating “major financial relief ” for motorists on e-tolls.
The premier made these remarks when he delivered his second State of the Province Address (Sopa) in the legislature last Monday.
The DA said Makhura’s remarks were nothing but a ploy to encourage motorists to pay a certain amount of money through a “hybrid funding model” proposed by a panel set up to assess the impact of e-tolls on Gauteng residents.
Moodey said: “The fact is, this hybrid model is a thin disguise to force motorists to pay in one way or another.”
The model looks to collect funds from the fuel levy, vehicle-licensing fees and e-tolls, among others, he said.
It would increase administration costs and open the door for corruption, Moodey said.
Other problems the party foresaw were:
Extra taxes and levies on tyres and vehicle licences would push up the cost of transport, goods and services, harming poor people.
Increased costs would slow down economic growth, negatively affecting job creation.
Motorists would be criminally charged and prosecuted for non-payment.
Moodey insisted that motorists would have to pay for e-tolls while they await the final outcome of the discussions between Makhura and Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa.
The DA expressed no confidence in Makhura and Ramaphosa’s collaboration on the matter, saying any scrapping of e-tolls would severely affect the pockets of unnamed bigwigs in Luthuli House, the ANC’s headquarters.
“It is obvious that the pre- mier is stalling and that he has abandoned the people of Gauteng. He made this clear in his response to the Sopa debate when he said: ‘The ANC does not govern by referendum’.
“And with those words, the premier trampled on our democratic principles, because there is no purer form of democracy than a referendum, as it accurately gauges public sentiment on a specific issue.”
Gauteng government spokesman Thabo Masebe said all the issues the DA raised were receiving attention by the provincial and national governments.
He said there was an agreement by all interested parties to reduce the tariffs and monthly cap payments for motorists.
Masebe said the system was due to be simplified “to make it easier for people to plan. There will be relief for the people of Gauteng.”
‘He has trampled on democratic principles’