Gauteng ANC upset at failure on e-tolls
The ANC in Gauteng is “deeply disappointed” that President Cyril Ramaphosa did not announce the scrapping of e-tolls.
The ANC in Gauteng is “deeply disappointed” that President Cyril Ramaphosa did not announce the scrapping of e-tolls in his second state of the nation address.
The controversial tolling system has been a thorn in the side of the party’s provincial structures given the broad public outcry against it, which led to a boycott of tolling fees and a backlash at the polls.
The message was sent to Ramaphosa in an open letter written by the party’s provincial secretary, Jacob Khawe, which was made public on Sunday.
“We really must say to you Mr President that we are deeply disappointed at the fact that your speech said nothing about scrapping of e-tolls. The e-tolls have not worked in our province and the overwhelming majority of Gauteng motorists continue to refuse to pay.
“This, coupled with regular increases in fuel costs, drives up the cost of doing business and disproportionately diminishes the disposable incomes of both the middle strata and poor households,” Khawe said.
The release of the open letter comes a day ahead of Gauteng premier David Makhura s last state of the province address. Makhura has repeatedly taken issue with the tolling system,
Makhura is chair of the ANC in the province, which hopes to receive a fresh mandate when SA votes in May. However, opposition parties hope the ANC can be pushed below 50% of the vote. E-tolls have already featured in the campaign quiver of the DA’s Gauteng premier candidate, Solly Msimanga.
Khawe said the ANC in Gauteng, together with its alliance partners, civil society organisations and residents in the province, delivered a “clear message” to Ramaphosa’s office “on behalf of the people of Gauteng” in November 2018. Khawe said the November memorandum highlighted a number of factors pushing up the cost of living in the province, which included the high cost of data and an “inefficient, unreliable and unaffordable public transport system”.
“Lastly, we categorically stated that the impact of the VAT increase and the urban tolling system in our province has negatively affected those who travel in order to make ends meet or to make their contribution towards the growth of our country,” Khawe said.
The ANC in Gauteng welcomed Ramaphosa going the extra mile to address some of the issues raised with him. Khawe added that the provincial executive committee resolved at its recent lekgotla to “once again” engage with Ramaphosa and the affected government departments on alternative funding for the project.