The SA Private Ambulance and Emergency Services Association has condemned Sanral’s insistence that non-government ambulances fit e-tags if they want to use Gauteng freeways, The Times reported on Thursday.<\/p>\n
“They will force private ambulance services to use alternative routes… it will lead to delays in responses to emergencies,” association CEO Oliver Wright was quoted as saying.<\/p>\n
“Sanral’s actions will inevitably cause deaths.”<\/p>\n
Wright said the association’s request that private ambulance services be exempt from e-tolls had fallen on deaf ears.<\/p>\n
He said the association had highlighted that, like government ambulances, private emergency services helped non-paying and non-medical aid patients.<\/p>\n
SA National Roads Agency Limited spokesman Vusi Mona said it was incorrect to say private ambulances were not exempt from e-tolling.<\/p>\n
“Qualifying private ambulances are exempt… as part of the exemption process these ambulances need to obtain an e-tag, register and apply for exemption. Private ambulances are not ‘forced’ to use alternative roads,” said Mona.<\/p>\n
ER24 spokesman Werner Vermaak told the newspaper all his organisation’s vehicles across the country had been fitted with e-tags.<\/p>\n
No debt relief for e-tolls<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n E-tolls deemed grossly inefficient and unworkable<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n