Bizarre e-toll billing complaints

·22 Jan 2014

The Democratic Alliance (DA) says it has received over 300 e-toll billing complaints from the public since a call last week to submit queries to the political party.

The South African National Roads Agency Limited implemented its e-toll system on Gauteng’s freeways on 3 December 2013.

The DA says it aims to submit a list of complaints to the National Consumer Commission.

Some of the more bizarre complaints we have received include:

A resident in the Western Cape who has not traveled on Gauteng’s roads since the implementation of e-tolling. She has received two invoices to date, one of which was for a motorcycle, when in fact her only vehicle is a Corsa Lite car;
A resident who received an SMS from Sanral to say that he owes R00.00 and has been handed over to the VPC;
People who do not even own a vehicle or have a drivers licence receiving SMSes from Sanral with outstanding debt. One of these SMSes was for an amount of R1362,63;
Many people have received a final SMS warning without having received an official invoice;
Gauteng residents who do not travel on tolled roads are receiving SMSes for final pay notices from Sanral.

The DA says that most common complaints are people not receiving invoices, incorrect amounts for actual travel and bills going to people who have not travelled recently. “It is clear that the billing system is not working,” said Mmusi Maimane, DA Gauteng Premier Candidate.

“Not only is the e-tolling system unjust in its implementation but residents are now faced with mounting billing challenges,” Maimane said.

The DA recently noted that its legal case against the implementation of e-tolls on Gauteng’s freeways has been set down for 4-5 March 2014.

The DA submitted papers to the High Court in November 2013, arguing that the legislation governing e-tolling was incorrectly tagged and should be declared unconstitutional.