The first salvo in the fight against eTolls was fired on Friday last week with the Opposition to Urban Tolling Alliance (OUTA) filing an urgent application in the North Gauteng High Court to seek an interdict restraining the SA National Roads Agency (SANRAL) from levying and collecting tolls on specified sections of freeways in Gauteng subject to a review process.
According to OUTA it will cost the country between 8c and 11c per litre in a fuel levy to pay for Gauteng’s new highways, significantly less than the R1 a litre figure given by the proponents of e-tolling. It will also be a fairer way to raise the money needed to pay back the costs of upgraded roads.
Outa was founded by the South African National Consumers Union (SANCU), Southern Africa Tourism Services Association (SATSA), Southern African Vehicle Rental and Leasing Association (SAVRALA), Retail Motor Industry (RMI) and the QuadPara Association of South Africa (QASA).
Savrala’s Wayne Duvenage went on record to state that OUTA believes that the e-tolling of the roads around Gauteng is the beginning of a dangerous precedent that could see the same modus operandi applied elsewhere. If it is allowed to happen in Gauteng it will happen everywhere in South Africa.
In substantiating its position, OUTA says that fraudulent practices will abound. Number plate cloning will be a huge problem given SANRAL’s consumer agreement, which states that “Fees charged shall be deemed to be correct, unless the user is able to demonstrate that they are incorrect.” The average Joe public will be no means have the legal resources to fight this injustice in court. And, assuming SANRAL and the government moves to defend its position, it will mean more of taxpayer’s money being directed towards the e-toll debate. SANRAL and the Ministry of Transport had also omitted to provide adequate public transport and/or viable alternative routes. This prejudices motorists with uncompetitive practices.
The respondents in the application are The South African National Roads Agency (SANRAL), the Minister of the Department of Transport, the MEC of the Department of Roads and Transport in Gauteng, the Minister of the Department of Water and Environmental Affairs, the Director-General of the Department of Water and Environmental Affairs and the National Consumer Commission.

Source: www.iol.co.za
Photo: www.itweb.co.za