Motorists will not register for an e-tag
An online poll conducted by BusinessTech finds that nearly nine out of 10 people have no intention of registering for an e-tag, despite the April 30 deadline when the tolls go live in Gauteng.
BusinessTech asked its readers: Do you intend on registering for an e-tag in the wake of Sanral’s revised e-toll tariff?
88% of 214 respondents said no, while 15 voters or 7% said yes.
Ten voters said they had already registered.
An earlier poll conducted by BusinessTech returned similar results. Having asked: Will you register for e-tags before April 30?
62 out of 82 respondents said no, while 15 respondents were convinced that e-tolls would not happen.
MyBroadband conducted a similar poll questioning its readers: Are you going to get an e-tag?
As many as 872 readers said no, while 67 said they would.
The masses speak
Last week, the Sowetan reported that e-toll registration outlets were virtually empty ahead of the impending deadline.
On the weekend (of Friday, 13 April 2012), the SA National Roads Agency said that motorists who do not register for e-tags would have to fork out a three times higher punitive rate.
It pointed to costs associated with recovering payment, including invoicing and debt collection, as reasons for the R1.75 tariff per kilometre, compared to the standard tariff of 30 cents per kilometre for registered users.
On Tuesday (April 17, 2012) the Congress of SA Trade Union (Cosatu) said it would encourage its two million members to embark on a national protest against the e-tolling system, for the second time.
“The Congress of SA Trade Unions is mobilising its two million members for the mother of all protests against the act of highway robbery set to be committed from 30 April 2012 — the Gauteng e-tolls,” spokesman Patrick Craven said in a statement.
“We are confident that we will be joined by many thousands more angry residents and motorists who support our demand for the scrapping of these tolls.”
Cosatu said it is planning several rallies, marches, and demonstrations at the offices of the Sanral and the transport department across the country from April 23.
The union has also threatened to have e-tolling interdicted in court.
Business reacts
Business also expressed concerns over the implementation of e-tolling. CEO of the South African Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Sacci), Neren Rau, called on Sanral to delay the implementation of e-tolling until details of a Government Gazette, published on April 13, 2012 were properly addressed.
“The chamber has from the outset been concerned about the disproportionate allocation of the toll fee to maintenance of the tolling infrastructure, as opposed to the road infrastructure itself,” said Rau.
Similarly Business Unity SA (Busa) also called for a delay on the implementation of e-tolling.
“It is disappointing that Sanral, which plans to launch the e-tolling system on 30 April, has not fully addressed the public’s concerns. This should have been done several months ago,” the organisation said in a statement.
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