Sanral changes tune on e-toll panel: report
Sanral and the Department of Transport have changed their position on the e-toll panel, with both groups now set to make presentations after previously snubbing the process.
This is according to a report in Business Day, quoting transport minister Dipuo Peters as saying that the South African National Roads Agency Limited (Sanral) and department are aiming to “clear the distortions” made by opposing parties.
In September, Sanral made it clear that it had no interest in making a presentation to the panel, saying that it had already attained the necessary permission to go ahead with e-tolling.
“The roads agency is of the opinion that its participation in the review process would be inappropriate as the matter had been decided in relevant structures – the Cabinet approved the matter in 2007,” it said in a statement at the time.
Peters put a further damper on the panel by dismissing its impact and effectively shrugging off its power. The minister said that the panel does not have power over national government, and could not do away with the system.
Now both parties will make presentation to the panel in early November, Business Day reported.
Presentations made to the e-toll panel have, thus far, been overwhelmingly against the e-tolling system.
Most presentations have spoken out against the system, including those from JPSA, OUTA, Cosatu, Fedusa, Busa, and Nactu.
Political parties across the board also spoke out against the system, including the ANC in Gauteng – putting the provincial party at odds with national government.
The groups have been calling for a fuel levy to be implemented as an alternative funding mechanism.
Consulting Engineers SA (Cesa) was one of the the only groups to speak out in support of the system, with Sanral and the department of transport now expected to add to that voice.
Howard Dembovsky, National Chairman – Justice Project South Africa, said that both parties had been invited to the panel, but chose to actively try to discredit the panel, labeling it as little more than a farce and refusing to participate.
“Minister Peters even went so far as to say that she “has no duty to implement the findings of the panel” but now it would appear that she and her cohorts wish to manipulate those findings at a crucial time in the process,” Dembovsky said.
“This action can be likened to a respondent in a court application failing to oppose such an application and then subsequently deciding to approach the Judge after the application has been heard and a Judge has reserved judgment, in an attempt to sway his or her judgment because that respondent now feels that an adverse finding may be reached against it,” he said.
More on e-tolls
ANC divided over e-tolls: report
E-tolls not a national product: ANC
E-tolls not a decision for transport minister: Outa
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