The e-toll system is doomed to fail, according to Sanral’s own 2009 documents.
This came to light after DA Shadow Transport Minister, Ian Ollis made a Promotion of Access to Information Act (Paia) application and obtained documents pertaining to Sanral’s inquiry with regard to public participation. Gauteng DA Premier candidate and National Spokesperson for the party, Mmusi Maimane, revealed this information in a speech on 2 September.
In a South African National Roads Agency Limited (Sanral) and Electronic Toll Collection (ETC) document (in the Record’s possession) both parties express the fact that one of the critical success factors for the project as a whole is high levels of public compliance.
“The envisaged tolls for Gauteng Freeways will be automated. There will be no toll stations. Payment will be collected automatically. If there were two extra lanes on the freeways you normally travel on, saving you time, would you be prepared to pay a toll?” reads the question that was posed to the public in 2009. It is clear that the question was formulated to point to a positive outcome.
Yet the document states that 61 per cent of the public said yes to tolling and 39 per cent said no in April 2009. In June 2009 however, an amendment to the document was made, which states that 52 per cent said yes and 48 per cent said no. This shows large public non-participation but Sanral and the Department of Transport keep on trying to force the system down Gauteng citizens’ throats.
One document contains a largely telling paragraph that states that “preliminary market research by the employer has indicated that 61 per cent of the sample responded favourably to acceptance of tolling with 39 per cent expressing opposition. This presents a huge communication and marketing challenge to shift attitudes and behaviour of a significantly large group into acceptance, or at least compliance. Should such a sizeable group actively resist compliance, law enforcement will be seriously hampered and could become virtually impossible to implement. Sizeable active resistance could jeopardize the project as a whole.”
It is clear from the document that with huge public non-compliance they will be able to stop the system.
“If I become Premier of Gauteng, I will do everything possible to get rid of e-tolling. The DA knows that the people of Gauteng don’t want and can’t afford this system,” said an impassioned Maimane.
