Engineering News

The South African National Roads Agency Limited (Sanral) has described the accusations of having applied for an exemption from the National Credit Act (NCA), in relation to the Gauteng Freeway Development Project, as unfounded.

Sanral spokesperson Vusi Mona said the agency did not qualify as a credit provider under the NCA.

“Accusations that the South African National Roads Agency SOC Limited (Sanral) has applied for an exemption from the NCA, in relation to the Gauteng Freeway Development Project, are false.

“It must be understood that the incidental credit accrued as part of the e-tolling system does not fit the definition of credit under the NCA,” said Mona.

A clause within the Transport and Related Matters Amendment Bill exempts Sanral from the NCA and was drafted to clear up any possible confusion around Sanral and the NCA.

Mona said the amendment to the bill was an attempt to clear up any legal ambiguity in terms of credit.

The reasons for the provision in the bill are that e-tolling is a prepaid process, but a seven-day grace period is given for payment. This is not a provision of credit.

“Under the legislation, a person who fails to pay e-tolls is committing an offence and has the opportunity to rectify it,” said Mona.

According to Mona, Sanral was concerned by the latest attempt by the Opposition against Urban Tolling Alliance (OUTA) and the South African National Consumer Union to discredit a perfectly legitimate enterprise through “disinformation”.

“Sanral has followed all due process in terms of the e-tolling in Gauteng. This attempt by OUTA to take the legal battle which it initially lost and is subsequently on appeal to the public domain can only be described as spurious and irresponsible,” Mona said.