{"id":47183,"date":"2013-10-06T23:15:37","date_gmt":"2013-10-06T21:15:37","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/businesstech.co.za\/news\/?p=47183"},"modified":"2013-10-07T09:31:55","modified_gmt":"2013-10-07T07:31:55","slug":"what-if-you-dont-pay-e-tolls","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/businesstech.co.za\/news\/trending\/47183\/what-if-you-dont-pay-e-tolls\/","title":{"rendered":"What if you don&#8217;t pay e-tolls?"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Non-payment of outstanding e-toll fees is now a criminal offence, and South African National Roads Agency (<a title=\"Sanral\" href=\"http:\/\/businesstech.co.za\/forum\/showthread.php\/1722-SANRAL-South-African-National-Roads-Association-Limited\">Sanral<\/a>) plans to take offenders through the necessary legal channels &#8211; but many believe the process will be ineffective.<\/p>\n<p>According to Sanral spokesman, <a title=\"Vusi Mona\" href=\"http:\/\/businesstech.co.za\/forum\/showthread.php\/9466-Vusi-Mona\">Vusi Mona<\/a>, the Sanral Act, which has been in effect since 1998, requires road users to pay a toll when passing a toll point.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;It is a road user\u2019s legal responsibility to pay tolls and not paying is, according to the Sanral Act, a criminal offence,&#8221; Monsa told BusinessTech.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;On the Gauteng e-roads, there are signs at every off-ramp (exit) of the e-roads, providing details about the payment of tolls. These signs and the toll tariff signs, located along the Gauteng e-roads, before the toll point, indicate that the road user has a seven-day grace period to pay the toll fee applicable to that toll point.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>In the event that a road user opts not to pay these tolls, road users will be held liable for any outstanding fees and associated infringements.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;The offender will go through the normal legal channels and this may result in prosecution for non-payment.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>According to Mona, the administrative process that will be followed regarding e-tolls is as follows:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Although the toll system is a pre-paid system, a road user has a seven-day grace period, from a gantry pass , to pay their e-toll transactions;<\/li>\n<li>If the e-toll transaction is not paid within seven days, it is transferred to the Violations Processing Centre (the section of e-toll operations that deals with overdue toll amounts);<\/li>\n<li>Due to the user\u2019s status as an Alternative User, discounts (e-tag, frequent user and time of day) are no longer applied and the Alternative Toll Tariff applies.<\/li>\n<li>Transactions are rolled up and an invoice is issued to the road user;<\/li>\n<li>A road user is then given an opportunity to settle his\/her e-toll transactions and depending on the time within which the toll transactions are paid, post Grace Period Discounts might apply;<\/li>\n<li>During that time, a debt collection process takes place;<\/li>\n<li>Once it appears that the debt collection process is unsuccessful, a Final Demand will be issued and the issue handed over to the prosecuting authority;<\/li>\n<li>Prosecution will be done in terms of the Criminal Procedure Act and\/or Aarto pending when and where it will be implemented.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>&#8220;Sanral does not have the mandate to sentence people to jail. That is a matter for the courts decide,&#8221; Mona said.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_47184\" style=\"width: 610px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a  data-lightbox=\"post-image\" href=\"http:\/\/businesstech.co.za\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/10\/Vusi-Mona.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-47184\" class=\"size-full wp-image-47184\" alt=\"Vusi Mona\" src=\"http:\/\/businesstech.co.za\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/10\/Vusi-Mona.png\" width=\"600\" height=\"400\" srcset=\"https:\/\/businesstech.co.za\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/10\/Vusi-Mona.png 600w, https:\/\/businesstech.co.za\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/10\/Vusi-Mona-300x200.png 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\" \/><\/a><p id=\"caption-attachment-47184\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Vusi Mona<\/p><\/div>\n<h3 class=\"my-4\">Administrative mess<\/h3>\n<p>According to <a title=\"Wayne Duvenage\" href=\"http:\/\/businesstech.co.za\/forum\/showthread.php\/1723-Wayne-Duvenage\">Wayne Duvenage<\/a>, head of the Opposition to Urban Tolling Alliance (<a title=\"Outa\" href=\"http:\/\/businesstech.co.za\/forum\/showthread.php\/1949-OUTA-Opposition-to-Urban-Tolling-Alliance\">Outa<\/a>), even though road users are now at risk of facing fines and possible criminal proceedings, Sanral may find its hands full with the sheer volume of defaulters.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;The same [risk of criminal proceedings] was implied in Portugal and the authorities did not arrest a single person, nor can they now that the defaulters list is too large,&#8221; Duvenage said.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;I believe that enforcement of all defaulters will not be possible and the authorities will not be able to treat some differently to others &#8211; this system in this environment with significant administrative deficiencies will be inundated with queries about wrong changes, cloned plates traveling on other cars VLN, disputes raised etc.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;It will become impossible for ETC to manage the deluge of information heading their way from the disgruntled public,&#8221; Duvenage said.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_15742\" style=\"width: 610px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a  data-lightbox=\"post-image\" href=\"http:\/\/businesstech.co.za\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/06\/Wayne-Duvenhage.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-15742\" class=\"size-full wp-image-15742\" alt=\"Wayne Duvenhage\" src=\"http:\/\/businesstech.co.za\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/06\/Wayne-Duvenhage.jpg\" width=\"600\" height=\"400\" srcset=\"https:\/\/businesstech.co.za\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/06\/Wayne-Duvenhage.jpg 600w, https:\/\/businesstech.co.za\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/06\/Wayne-Duvenhage-300x200.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\" \/><\/a><p id=\"caption-attachment-15742\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Wayne Duvenage<\/p><\/div>\n<p>Chairman of Justice Project South Africa, <a title=\"Howard Dembovsky\" href=\"http:\/\/businesstech.co.za\/forum\/showthread.php\/10330-Howard-Dembovsky\">Howard Dembovsky<\/a>, has long said that trying to enforce the prosecution of transgressors under the Criminal Procedure Act and\/or Aarto act would result in a massive administrative mess in South Africa&#8217;s already-burdened court system.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;When Sanral speaks of the prosecution of e-toll transgressors, it seems to have forgotten to take into account the fact that the overcrowded court rolls are already struggling to deal with the existing matters before them,&#8221; Dembovsky said.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;By adding to this situation, they will either effectively bring the South African criminal justice system to a grinding halt, or fail in carrying out their threats. &#8221;<\/p>\n<p>According to Dembovsky, in reality, only a very small portion of total traffic fines issued under the Criminal Procedure Act result in the alleged offender seeing the inside of a court.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;Given the fact that some 600,000 e-tags have allegedly been sold, at the very least, the quantum of individuals who will be regarded to be e-toll transgressors could be in the order of 1 million people or more per day,&#8221; he said.<\/p>\n<p>Even if Sanral decides to combine all of the transgressions committed by each e-toll transgressor into a single summons over a period of a month &#8211; as is being proposed by those who are explaining how they will deal with the prosecution of these matters &#8211; this will mean that 1 million matters will have to be set down for trial each month, Dembovsky said.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;You really don\u2019t have to be a professor of applied mathematics to calculate that it will be physically impossible for the courts to handle these volumes &#8211; and you don\u2019t have to be a professor of laws to understand that the courts cannot exclude from the process without seriously violating the basic fundamental human rights which are protected by the Constitution,&#8221; the JSPA chairman said.<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"my-4\">So, should you pay your toll fees?<\/h3>\n<p>&#8220;I certainly believe there will be a large number of the public who will refuse to pay and will elect to defend the matter in court,&#8221; Duveange told BusinessTech.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;The first person found not-guilty will spark the end of the e-toll process and we believe this will be a possibility if tested in court. Social media communication platforms will ensure all incidents are shared and everyone is treated equally and fairly,&#8221; he said.<\/p>\n<p>However, the Outa head stressed that the group does not advocate breaking the law by not paying &#8211; but he&#8217;s quick to point out that having an e-tag is not required by law.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;In this regard, if any member of the public feels the system is unjust, they have every right to exercise passive resistance to make it more cumbersome,&#8221; he said.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;We believe that if enough people do not get an e-tag, the system will be to difficult to manage and it will eventually collapse.&#8221;<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_47185\" style=\"width: 610px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a  data-lightbox=\"post-image\" href=\"http:\/\/businesstech.co.za\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/10\/Howard-Dembovsky.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-47185\" class=\"size-full wp-image-47185\" alt=\"Howard Dembovsky\" src=\"http:\/\/businesstech.co.za\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/10\/Howard-Dembovsky.png\" width=\"600\" height=\"400\" srcset=\"https:\/\/businesstech.co.za\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/10\/Howard-Dembovsky.png 600w, https:\/\/businesstech.co.za\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/10\/Howard-Dembovsky-300x200.png 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\" \/><\/a><p id=\"caption-attachment-47185\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Howard Dembovsky<\/p><\/div>\n<p>Dembovsky said that he, too, does no advocate breaking laws, and encourages citizens to abide by the laws of the country.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;But I find myself in a moral dilemma over the e-toll laws because I really don\u2019t believe they are just,&#8221; the JPSA lead said.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;I therefore cannot, with a clear conscience, encourage people to do anything other than to resist these unjust laws with vigour, and in doing so, I pledge to do the same myself.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;I am prepared to openly state that I am now in total agreement with Cosatu\u2019s and others&#8217; views that these laws are unjust and unfair and therefore cannot be complied with.&#8221;<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"my-4\">More on e-tolls<\/h3>\n<p><a title=\"People want e-tolls: Transport Minister\" href=\"http:\/\/businesstech.co.za\/news\/general\/46994\/people-want-e-tolls-transport-minister\/\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>People want e-tolls: Transport Minister<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<p><a title=\"E-tolls or fuel levy: Sanral can\u2019t have both\" href=\"http:\/\/businesstech.co.za\/news\/general\/46865\/e-tolls-or-fuel-levy-sanral-cant-have-both\/\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>E-tolls or fuel levy: Sanral can\u2019t have both<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<p><strong><a title=\"Permalink to E-tolls will force SA middle class into poverty\" href=\"http:\/\/businesstech.co.za\/news\/government\/46844\/e-tolls-will-force-sa-middle-class-into-poverty\/\" rel=\"bookmark\">E-tolls will force SA middle class into poverty<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p><a title=\"E-toll bill signing an insult: DA\" href=\"http:\/\/businesstech.co.za\/news\/government\/46609\/e-toll-bill-signing-an-insult-da\/\"><strong>E-toll bill signing an insult: DA<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<p><a title=\"Signing e-toll bill unwise: Outa\" href=\"http:\/\/businesstech.co.za\/news\/government\/46636\/signing-e-toll-bill-unwise-outa\/\"><strong>Signing e-toll bill unwise: Outa<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<h3 class=\"my-4\"><a title=\"E-tolling is happening in 2013: minister\" href=\"http:\/\/businesstech.co.za\/news\/government\/46144\/e-tolling-is-happening-in-2013\/\"><strong>E-tolling is happening in 2013: minister<\/strong><\/a><\/h3>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Now that the Sanral e-toll bill is law, what will happen to you if you choose not to pay for them?<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":14,"featured_media":11030,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[1804,26,6759,429,6793,1989],"class_list":["post-47183","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-trending","tag-e-tolls","tag-headline","tag-howard-dembovsky","tag-sanral","tag-vusi-mona","tag-wayne-duvenage"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/businesstech.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/47183","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/businesstech.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/businesstech.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/businesstech.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/14"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/businesstech.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=47183"}],"version-history":[{"count":7,"href":"https:\/\/businesstech.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/47183\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":47232,"href":"https:\/\/businesstech.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/47183\/revisions\/47232"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/businesstech.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/11030"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/businesstech.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=47183"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/businesstech.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=47183"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/businesstech.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=47183"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}