Will drivers who paid for e-tolls be reimbursed?

The Automobile Association (AA) says clarity is needed on the future of e-tolls and whether drivers who have already paid for the service will be reimbursed.

The association was commenting on a series of statements by government officials on Thursday (27 May) which indicated that a decision on the controversial toll system was imminent.

The AA said that when the announcement is made, and if a decision to scrap e-tolls is taken, several key questions must be answered.

“Are people who have been paying for e-tolls going to be reimbursed, and will outstanding debt owed to the system also be scrapped?

“And, critically, what is the future funding model going to look like? These are important issues that must be dealt with apart from simply saying the system has been scrapped.”

The AA re-iterated its position that:

• E-tolls cannot be maintained in their current format, and that the system must be scrapped;
• That people who have being paying for e-tolls must be reimbursed and that all debt must be written off;
• That an alternative funding mechanism through the ring-fencing of funds from the General Fuel Levy (GFL) be adopted.

In an interview with SAfm, Gauteng’s Transport MEC Jacob Mamabolo told said that e-tolls would be scrapped.  However, this was quickly dismissed by Transport minister Fikile Mbalua, who said that an official position had not been taken.

E-tolls must go

In a separate statement on Thursday afternoon, Mamabolo said that the provincial government is eagerly waiting the announcement by the national government on the future of e-tolls.

“As we look forward to the announcement by national government, we reaffirm our view that e-tolling system in its current form burdens Gauteng residents on a matter that involves the national economy and the economies of neighbouring states.

“We anxiously wait for the decision, the provincial government believes that it has put forward a compelling argument for the scrapping of e-tolls.”

Mamabolo said that the provincial government has been working with the national government to ensure the implementation of the e-toll system in Gauteng is halted.

Mamabolo said he has also been engaging with  Mbalula on the provincial government’s rejection of the proposed implementation of Administrative Adjudication of Road Traffic Offences Act (Aarto) regulations as another method of enforcing the e-tolling system.

Read: E-tolls have not been scrapped – but government is considering it