Cabinet to make a final decision on e-tolls soon, says Mbalula
A decision on the future of e-tolls will be announced by Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana during the budget speech in February 2022, according to Transport Minister Fikile Mbalula.
The Department of Transport on Monday issued a statement refuting reports that Cabinet had already made a final decision on the future of e-tolls. Moneyweb on Monday reported that government intends to scrap e-tolls.
During a briefing on Friday on the state of transport entities, Mbalula noted that there have been delays in reaching a final decision on e-tolls as any decision will have financial implications that need to be responded to. "Those financial implications, we need to respond to," he said. He added that Treasury is working on the financial implications.
E-tolling was first introduced by government in 2011 as a means to fund the R17.9-billion Gauteng Freeway Improvement Project. But there have been under collections from motorists who refuse to pay, Fin24 previously reported.
Mbalula assured that the announcement by Godongwana in February will be a Cabinet decision.
"That decision on e-tolls will be made. The minister (Enoch Godongwana) will speak to that in February," Mbalula said. He added that the consultation process on Treasury's side had not been finalised. "The announcement made in the February budget will be a cabinet decision by the minister of finance."
The Department of Transport in its statement reiterated that the matter of e-tolls is receiving priority attention by Cabinet and will soon be finalised.
"The final determination is about how best to carry the cost burden of the Gauteng Freeway Improvement Project, while maintaining these roads in a pristine condition," Mbalula said. The Department of Transport noted that a delay on the e-tolls decision is affecting the South African National Road Agency's balance sheet and its ability to maintain non-toll roads.
Comments
Press Office
Announcements
What's On
Subscribe to improve your user experience...
Option 1 (equivalent of R125 a month):
Receive a weekly copy of Creamer Media's Engineering News & Mining Weekly magazine
(print copy for those in South Africa and e-magazine for those outside of South Africa)
Receive daily email newsletters
Access to full search results
Access archive of magazine back copies
Access to Projects in Progress
Access to ONE Research Report of your choice in PDF format
Option 2 (equivalent of R375 a month):
All benefits from Option 1
PLUS
Access to Creamer Media's Research Channel Africa for ALL Research Reports, in PDF format, on various industrial and mining sectors
including Electricity; Water; Energy Transition; Hydrogen; Roads, Rail and Ports; Coal; Gold; Platinum; Battery Metals; etc.
Already a subscriber?
Forgotten your password?
Receive weekly copy of Creamer Media's Engineering News & Mining Weekly magazine (print copy for those in South Africa and e-magazine for those outside of South Africa)
➕
Recieve daily email newsletters
➕
Access to full search results
➕
Access archive of magazine back copies
➕
Access to Projects in Progress
➕
Access to ONE Research Report of your choice in PDF format
RESEARCH CHANNEL AFRICA
R4500 (equivalent of R375 a month)
SUBSCRIBEAll benefits from Option 1
➕
Access to Creamer Media's Research Channel Africa for ALL Research Reports on various industrial and mining sectors, in PDF format, including on:
Electricity
➕
Water
➕
Energy Transition
➕
Hydrogen
➕
Roads, Rail and Ports
➕
Coal
➕
Gold
➕
Platinum
➕
Battery Metals
➕
etc.
Receive all benefits from Option 1 or Option 2 delivered to numerous people at your company
➕
Multiple User names and Passwords for simultaneous log-ins
➕
Intranet integration access to all in your organisation