The Gauteng provincial government has started paying off its e-tolls debt. File Photo: Independent Newspapers
The South African National Roads Agency SOC Limited (Sanral) has welcomed the first instalment made by the Gauteng Provincial Government towards its e-toll debt.
Sanral spokesperson Vusi Mona said in light of the cessation of e-tolls, Sanral is in the process of obtaining legal advice regarding the historic road user debt and payments already made by road users.
“Once this process is completed, including relevant consultations, a public announcement will be made,” Mona said.
Gauteng MEC for Finance and Economic Development, Lebogang Maile announced last week the local government would be paying its first instalment towards the R20 billion for the scrapped e-toll debt it owed Sanral.
The local government will be paying R12 billion on the actual debt, R4 billion on the interest incurred, and R4 billion on maintenance.
The first instalment paid was said to be R3 billion.
“Remember, the citizens have refused to pay, now the government has to pay. So we are going to spend about R20bn, R12bn on the actual debt, R4bn on the interest, another R4bn on the maintenance.
“So we’re paying the first instalment on about R3 billion and that will put a huge strain and pressure on our provincial resources,” Maile told the media during a briefing.
By the end of March, through a proclamation in the Government Gazette, the national and provincial governments scrapped the e-tolls.
In April, the scrapping e-toll service came into effect, and at the time Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi was overseeing the process.
The gantries used to toll road users were officially disconnected from the e-tolls network on April 11, just before midnight.
robin.francke@iol.co.za
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