Taxis had no reason to boycott e-tolls because public transport vehicles were exempt from these fees, the SA National Taxi Council (Santaco) said on Monday.<\/p>\n
“Santaco wishes to distance itself from any statements purported to have been made by the organisation calling for a boycott on e-tolls, such statements as reported in the media are both factually incorrect, malicious and misleading,” it said in a statement.<\/p>\n
Santaco was responding to an earlier Opposition to Urban Tolling Alliance (Outa) press statement applauding it for deciding to boycott the e-toll fees.<\/p>\n
Santaco president Philip Taaibosch said: “We reject as false and malicious any suggestions and reports that Santaco wants to boycott e-tolls, this is the work of sinister forces with an intention to cause confusion and are trying to fight their battles using our name”.<\/p>\n
Taxis can apply for exemption from e-tolls if they have valid operating licences and are registered with the SA National Roads Agency Limited (Sanral).<\/p>\n
Problems relating to these conditions were being resolved between Sanral, Santaco and the Gauteng transport department, and “good progress” was being made in this regard.<\/p>\n
Outa chairman Wayne Duvenage said that the statement his organisation issued earlier was based on reports last week to the effect that Santaco would boycott the e-tolls.<\/p>\n
Taaibosch was quoted by Times Live as saying that, as long as taxi operators are getting billed, no single taxi operator will pay e-tolls.<\/p>\n
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