Mbalula’s e-tolls promises slammed

TRANSPORT Minister Fikile Mbalula had to once again reassure Parliament he was working on the Gauteng e-toll problem, this as his self-set deadline looms all that closer.

Mbalula was in Parliament for the debate on his budget vote speech, when he came in for some criticism from across the floor.

Initially he managed to sidestep the e-toll dilemma by barely mentioning it.

His only reference to it was when he spoke of an allocation to the South African National Road Agency to maintain national and provincial roads.

“Transfers to fund reduced tariffs for the Gauteng Freeway Improvement Project (GFIP) amount to R2 billion over the medium term, while 53.6% or R34.8bn of allocations to the agency are to maintain the national network of non-toll roads,” he said.

But the minister, who goes by the Twitter handle Mr Fix, wasn’t to be let off that easily. Soon he was facing a barrage of criticism from his fellow MPS.

ANC MP Lisa Mangcu called on Mbalula and the department to make the decision on GFIP.

“We have, despite numerous promises, remained concerned that the decision is not yet announced on the future of GFIP, commonly known as e-tolls,” Mangcu said.

Mbalula had undertaken earlier this month to announce the best option to deal with the controversial e-tolls issue within two weeks.

The EFF’S Nontando Nolutshungu said that the country had not resolved the perennial problem of tolling South African roads.

“It is now clear that tolling of roads in Gauteng does not work and will never work, but you persist with the dysfunctional approach to tolling.

“Are you to demand people to pay toll fees or not? You must come out clear on this issue to avoid confusion,” Nolutshungu said.

The IFP’S Petros Sithole accused Mbalula of making empty promises.

“Early this month, it seems Minister Mbalula was bored with himself so he made a promise about resolving e-tolls,” Sithole said. “E-tolls have a devastating effect on road users in Gauteng, especially on companies struggling to operate in the current economic climate.”

The official opposition accused the minister of electioneering.

The DA’S Thamsanqa Mabhena said the imminent announcement on e-tolls was because the municipal elections were coming later this year. Mabhena said it was a continuing insult to Gauteng’s motorists.

In response, Mbalula said he had not been dishonest on the e-tolls.

“On e-tolls, I am not rogue. I am part of a collective and part of the Cabinet. E-tolls is a decision that requires the government. Yes, I lead that and that is my responsibility,” he said.

Mbalula told MPS he has presented nine possible solutions to the e-tolls impasse he had inherited.

“It’s not easy. If it was easy, the solution would have been pronounced.”