The DA called for the cancellation of the e-tolls project in the Gauteng provincial legislature on Tuesday.<\/p>\n
“Although there will be some penalties for cancellation, [Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan<\/a>] has already decreased the debt by R5.75 billion, to R14.75 billion,” said Democratic Alliance<\/a> MPL Neil Campbell<\/a> during a debate on the department of roads and transport budget.<\/p>\n He said there were three simple steps to solve the Gauteng Freeway Improvement Project<\/a> funding problem.<\/p>\n “Firstly, the national fuel levy must be ring-fenced, which will ensure that a true ‘user pays’ principle applies.”<\/p>\n A safe and reliable alternative for public transport must also be provided. And the fuel levy would need to be increased by not more than 11 cents per litre.<\/p>\n “It can be collected by the five oil refiners, which will decrease the cost of collection from the estimated R13 billion to almost zero.”<\/p>\n This would fulfil the government’s requirement of the “user pays” principle, and would save billions of rands on an extremely expensive toll collection system, Campbell said.<\/p>\n “The dogged determination of Cabinet to stick to an overpriced, unaffordable and hugely unpopular toll collection system reeks of arrogance of the grandest order.”<\/p>\n On April 28, the High Court in Pretoria handed down an order preventing Sanral<\/a> from levying or collecting e-tolls pending the outcome of a judicial review.<\/p>\n Gordhan then approached the Constitutional Court in a bid to set aside the court order halting e-tolling.<\/p>\n Sanral CEO Alli will \u201cstay put\u201d: Motlanthe<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\nRelated articles:<\/h3>\n