Outa tells Sanral not to attribute R15bn shortfall to E-toll failures

Outa is raising concerns about why Gauteng drivers are still being charged toll fees for an “overpriced 186km upgrade” despite the fact that Minister of Finance Enoch Godongwana announced six months ago that the Gauteng Freeway Improvement Project (GFIP) would no longer require e-toll collection as reported by the Times Live.

According to Outa, agreements between national and provincial authorities regarding revenue allocation to cover Sanral’s failed e-toll scheme were supposed to be finalized by December 31, 2022, and the gantries were to be repurposed for other revenue-generating and road safety measures.

However, Sanral claims it needs R15bn annually for the next ten years.

Outa disputes this, stating that lost e-toll revenues account for only part of this amount.

The group contends that thousands of provincial roads have deteriorated due to inadequate governance and insufficient financial and procurement oversight.

This problem eventually transferred to Sanral.

Outa says that as long as the indecision and procrastination of financing the GFIP bonds continue between the national and provincial governments, Sanral’s quandary and financial squeeze will continue.

Photo by Wojtek Witkowski on Unsplash