Sanral e-toll harassment must stop: DA
The Democratic Alliance (DA) says it has submitted hundreds of e-toll billing complaints from Gauteng residents to the National Consumer Commission.
“The people of Gauteng have for months been harassed and unfairly billed by Sanral (The South African National Roads Agency Limited)”, the party said in a statement on Tuesday (11 March).
The party said that the 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.
“We believe through the e-toll billing crisis, Sanral has violated sections 26 (Sales Records) and 40 (unconscionable conduct) of the Consumer Protection Act,” he said.
The DA said it wants the following relief from the Consumer Commission according to sections 72 and 73 of the Act:
- A cease and desist order against Sanral to end the harassment of Gauteng residents;
- A referral to the Consumer Court where a court order may be obtained to go as far as awarding damages to a class of people unfairly billed by e-tolling
Examples of complaints that show the total dysfunctionality of e-tolling are:
- A small business owner with just 6 vehicles received an e-tolling bill for R680,000;
- National Treasury and City of Joburg employees, departments at the forefront of supporting e-tolling, are among the complainants;
- 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;
- Some complainants have even received threats that they have committed an offence and will be stopped by the “Toll Road Enforcement Unit” which is private body with no constitutional law enforcement mandate.
“We trust that the Consumer Commission will come to the defense of the people of Gauteng. This unjust system was forced on us without our consent – it is unacceptable that we must now allow harassment from Sanral through this e-tolling billing crisis,”
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