E-tolls: here comes Sanral’s next move
Opposition to Urban Tolling Alliance (Outa) has warned motorists against buying into possible “juicy carrot” tactics by Sanral, which may offer large discounts on outstanding e-toll fees in exchange for e-tag compliance.
Citing unnamed sources, Outa said that it has been informed that Sanral has barely reached 40% in e-tag compliance – a far stretch from the original 92% the agency’s CEO Nazir Alli said is required for the e-tolling system to work effectively.
The opposition group is now anticipating the commencement of long-threatened sanctions against the million plus motorists who have not paid their e-toll bills.
“Outa believes that Sanral will shortly apply its latest tactic to offer a massive sweetener of a sizable discount to all past unpaid e-toll bills,” said Outa chairman, Wayne Duvenage.
This is on condition that the road-users promptly pay the discounted bill and agree to Sanral’s terms of conditions to register and tag up, he said.
Outa said it believes that Sanral will also threaten to put its mobile units into action to identify “known violators” and escort them off the freeways and even possibly be charged by law enforcement officers.
“We advise motorists not to be intimidated by fear or seduced by sweeteners. No regulatory system can possibly be sustained by treating people that are expected to finance the system as if they are criminals or stubborn mules,” Duvenage said.
Taking into account the “ongoing billing fiasco” and a breakdown of trust between the roads agency and the public, Duvenage said that Sanral’s credibility is in tatters, blunting threats of criminal action against motorists.
Outa said that whatever legitimacy and integrity the State had to enforce e-tolls was squandered by a poor public engagement process in 2007/8, “coupled with their conduct of its ‘law-fare’ strategy against opponents of e-tolling and their menacing and threatening tactics to scare innocent road users into complying with their irrational scheme”.
“They (Sanral) will not succeed so long as society stands fast in civil courage and so long as we remember how far we have come,” Outa said.
More on e-tolls
E-tolls enhance economic growth
E-tolls not only a middle class problem
Loading ...