Gauteng Premier David Makhura says that a revised e-toll system will provide ‘major financial relief’, and will also have an easier payment model.<\/p>\n
In a state of the province address on Monday (23 February), Makhura said that a final decision on e-tolls will be made once the work of the intergovernmental team, led by deputy president Cyril Ramaphosa, is completed.<\/p>\n
Makhura said his government was consulting with the deputy president “to develop a better response to address all the issues”.<\/p>\n
“I am confident that the new dispensation should provide major financial relief to motorists, while simplifying the payment system to make it easy for road users to pay,” he said.<\/p>\n
The panel\u2019s report, released by Makhura in January, found that the e-tolling system, in its current form, was unaffordable and unsustainable.<\/p>\n
The report called for a review of certain elements in the system, including the funding mechanisms and the wider social impact it has on the province.<\/p>\n
Recommendations made in the report include how to deal with funding infrastructure and the Gauteng Freeway Infrastructure Project (GFIP) in both the short and long terms.<\/p>\n
E-tolling was implemented on Gauteng highways in December 2013, following several court challenges to halt the project.<\/p>\n
The system has since been largely rejected by motorists, who believe they were left out of the consultation phase of the project.<\/p>\n
Makhura said that while the panel’s findings acknowledged that the scheme has benefited the province, the current system must be reviewed to be more fair, and ensure sustainability.<\/p>\n
The panel recommended a hybrid payment model – to ease the financial burden for motorists.<\/p>\n
A hybrid system would still include e-tolls, but to a lesser degree than the current format. It would include:<\/p>\n
E-toll review panel findings: everything you need to know<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n Too many whites in Gauteng<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n