The proposal that the fuel levy be used to pay for Gauteng’s controversial e-tolling system has been rejected by all the other South African provinces, the City Press reported.<\/p>\n
Opponents to the current system which operates on a user-pay system have proposed that the national fuel levy be used as an alternative payment methods to cover the over R20 billion debt incurred by its implementation.<\/p>\n
However, at a meeting between the national minister of transport and provincial transport MECs, every representative reportedly rejected the idea, the City Press said.<\/p>\n
The Free State’s transport MEC, specifically, said that the other provinces could not “be funders of the beautiful roads in Gauteng”, when their roads were in an ill state.<\/p>\n
“Our people in villages and farms that are going to pay the petrol levy are not using those roads that look like they are in heaven,” the MEC said.<\/p>\n
The e-tolling system is currently being discussed by a panel set up by Gauteng Premier, David Makhura.<\/p>\n
The panel has thus far heard presentations from many concerned organisations and citizens speaking about the wider impact of the controversial system.<\/p>\n
Most presentations have spoken out against the system, including those from JPSA, Outa, Fedusa, Busa, and Nactu.<\/p>\n
The groups have been calling for a fuel levy to be implemented as an alternative funding mechanism.<\/p>\n
However, both Makhura and transport minister Dipuo Peters have said that e-tolling won’t be scrapped, saying that the panel’s purpose is that of an impact assessment.<\/p>\n
The panel is expected to present its findings to Makhura at the end of November.<\/p>\n
The full story can be read in today’s edition of the City Press (21 September 2014).<\/p>\n
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