Lighter e-tolls burden on motorists

THE government has sweetened the deal on e-tolls by announcing a new package of incentives that will reduce toll fees by almost half.

Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa told a media briefing in Parliament yesterday that the new plan will significantly ease the burden for motorists.

On top of the list is that the monthly cap will be reduced from R450 to R225. Motorists with outstanding debt will get a 60 percent discount – if they settle the fees within six months.

Ramaphosa also announced that there will be a monthly cap on the penalty for those whose accounts are in arrears.

However, if motorists fail to pay tolls within the required 30 days, they will pay double the amount.

Public transport remains exempt from tolls fees.

Cosatu president S’dumo Dlamini said they would provide a full response on the new dispensation after their central executive committee (CEC) meeting on Monday. “The CEC will guide us, and we will give our report to the CEC to chart the way forward,” said Dlamini.

Opposition to Urban Tolling Alliance (Outa) chairman Wayne Duvenage could not be reached for comment. Both Cosatu and Outa have been calling for the scrapping of e-tolls. But Ramaphosa said the government needed e-tolls to fund the road infrastructure network.

Ramaphosa and Gauteng Premier David Makhura denied that the new dispensation was driven by the local government elections in 2016. The ANC lost considerable support in Gauteng and the party scraped through to win the province in the 2014 general elections.

DA leader Mmusi Maimane said they would continue to fight e-tolls.

He said e-tolling was an unjust and unfair system that broke the backs of the poor. Maimane said his party would use the e-tolls as an issue in its 2016 local government elections campaign.