Tell us more, Sanral
DEAR SIR — Writing in Business Day in his capacity as South African National Roads Agency (Sanral) spokesperson, Vusi Mona enthuses that by recently signing the Transport Laws and Related Matters Amendment Bill into law, President Jacob Zuma has provided certainty on tolling as part of the government’s transport policy (Zuma’s e-tolling signature brings policy certainty, October 11). Yet that very proclamation may have introduced a new element of policy uncertainty.
It announced that the amendment act would come into operation on October 9 2013 — except for sections 3(b) and 3(c).
Those two sections both provide for actions that Sanral must take before a road can be declared a toll road:
3(b) requires Sanral to perform a socioeconomic and traffic impact assessment of the proposed toll road and to publish in the Gazette the availability of a report on these matters.
3(c) provides that the report must indicate “the steps proposed to mitigate against (sic) the impact or likely impact on alternative roads”.
These provisions were approved by Parliament after a lengthy period of deliberation and review. The requirements were presumably considered by our parliamentary representatives as being necessary to ensure both that the matters would be investigated and that the public would be given the opportunity to know the outcome.
Yet these critically important sections are not (at this stage at least) being brought into operation, and there appears to have been no explanation from the government as to why this is so. The fact of the exclusions has been kept very low-key. The October 11 statement from the Department of Transport welcoming the proclamation made no reference to the fact that sections 3(b) and 3(c) were not to be included.
There is no doubt a very good reason, but the public has not been told what it is.
Sanral cannot of course be held responsible for decisions of the Presidency, but since the amendment act is in respect of the principal act which governs the existence and functions of the roads agency, it must presumably have a view.
Perhaps, in light of his expressed opinion on the need for certainty in respect of tolls in the larger transport policy, Mr Mona might offer a comment on behalf of Sanral.
Paul Browning
Moreleta Village