The reduction in fees will create a shortfall of R390 million in annual revenue, which will be covered by national government and the Gauteng Provincial government.<\/p>\n
The new discounts will apply whether motorists have an e-tag or not.<\/p>\n
![\"New](\"http:\/\/businesstech.co.za\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/E-toll-infographic.png\")
<\/a>New e-toll fees<\/p><\/div>\n
The announcement comes as the SA National Roads Agency (Sanral) has admitted that thousands of motorists are not paying for e-tolls<\/a><\/strong> which were developed as part of the Gauteng Freeway Improvement Project.<\/p>\n Gauteng Premier David Makhura set up a panel to assess e-tolls in the second half of last year.<\/p>\n The panel\u2019s report, released 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 included how to deal with funding infrastructure and the Gauteng Freeway Infrastructure Project (GFIP) in both the short and long terms.<\/p>\n The Deputy President was joined by a high-level delegation including the Minister of Transport Dipuo Peters, Minister of Finance Nhlanhla Nene, Gauteng Premier David Makhura, Gauteng MEC\u2019s for Transport and Finance, Ishmael Vadi and Barbara Creecy respectively.<\/p>\n Outa chair Wayne Duvenage said in a statement before the announcement that the only positive stance from government would be to scrap the entire system completely.<\/p>\n \u201cIf they scrap tolling and come up with funding through the national fiscus, fuel levy and a couple of other mechanisms, then that would be a win,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n \u201cThat\u2019s what society\u2019s looking for, because this is social infrastructure and it should be financed through taxation.”<\/p>\n \u201cE-tolling only works when you have the committed buy-in by society and\u2026 when you have really efficient alternatives in terms of public transport, which we don\u2019t have.\u201d<\/p>\n Government would need 80% compliance to make e-tolling work, Duvenage said. The highest it reached was 45% in June 2014, but it averaged at 20%.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat they don\u2019t want to do is beat the public into submission and participation,\u201d he said. \u201cIt has to be a willing process.\u201d<\/p>\n Duvenage acknowledged the need to for the improvement of infrastructure, but said the e-tolling system was wasting tax-payers’ money.<\/p>\n The Outa chair said the fuel levy, which is adding R30 billion to government’s coffers, should be used instead.<\/p>\n “The money is there,” he said.<\/p>\n E-tolls essential for Joburg: premier<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\nScrapping e-tolls is the only win<\/h3>\n
More on e-tolls<\/h3>\n