Some government workers were against the e-tolling system, a public hearing into the tolls heard on Monday.<\/p>\n
Mbuyisa Manana, a government employee, said as a state worker, he should have been at the forefront encouraging people to pay tolls, but he was not.<\/p>\n
“There’s electricity for the roads but not the people living in shacks next to the highway,” he said, referring to the purple lights that illuminated the e-toll gantries.<\/p>\n
He proposed that there should be a flat rate of R120 paid yearly for the tolls.<\/p>\n
He said it was unfair that his “own government” wanted to force him to be a criminal as, despite him and his wife earning a joint income of R80,000 a month, they were not prepared to pay for the tolls.<\/p>\n
The public hearings, which were aimed at analysing the socio-economic impact of the tolls, were held at the Orlando Community Hall in Soweto.<\/p>\n
Several suggestions came out of the talks.<\/p>\n
Some people suggested that the tolls should rather be used to catch people who were speeding.<\/p>\n
Others said that they be used to trace hijacked vehicles, while some suggested that they simply be scrapped.<\/p>\n
None of the participants showed any support for the e-tolling system.<\/p>\n
One man said he was unemployed and could not afford to pay the tolls.<\/p>\n
He claimed the R20 billion bill of the SA National Roads Agency Limited was not the problem of the people.<\/p>\n
“That R20 billion you’re owing is not our baby to nurse,” he said, referring to government.<\/p>\n
“It’s yours… And you were warned,” he said.<\/p>\n
Another man said he was not prepared to pay for what he did not apply for, while another pointed out that unlike a cellphone contract, e-tolls were a lifelong commitment which he was not willing to commit to.<\/p>\n
Phumlani Mngomezulu, an owner of a small business, said he was rather concerned that while Premier David Makhura had established this panel to discuss the tolls, Transport Minister Dipuo Peters was not getting involved.<\/p>\n
“Government isn’t interested,” he said.<\/p>\n
He also questioned why Sanral wasn’t involved in the talks.<\/p>\n
A woman who identified herself as Eden lashed out at the panel.<\/p>\n
“Because things aren’t working your way, you’re calling us now,” she said.<\/p>\n
The meeting was chaired by Professor Muxe Nkondo, who had been appointed by Makhura.<\/p>\n
The panel was expected to submit its findings and recommendations to Makhura by November.<\/p>\n
He would apply his mind on what to do with the report.<\/p>\n
The talks come amid the mass rejection of the tolls with some political parties calling for them to be scrapped.<\/p>\n
The Soweto round of talks ended with just few people still present.<\/p>\n
The panel encouraged affected parties to continue making their submissions until October.<\/p>\n
E-tolls will stay: Transport minister<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n E-tolls toxic to small business growth<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n