National efforts to secure funding for the maintenance of South Africa’s high-quality road network are being undermined by “narrow-minded groups” that encourage people to break the law, says South African National Roads Agency Limited (Sanral) CEO Skhumbuzo Macozoma.
He laments that it is “outrageous” that an organisation, such as Organisation Undoing Tax Abuse (Outa), can “criticise a decision” by the New Development Bank (NDB) to extend a R7-billion loan for road infrastructure development projects.
Macozoma adds that the organisation’s actions will deprive South African citizens of “world-class” national road infrastructure.
He reiterates that Sanral is “doing its best” in tough economic conditions and amid unfavourable bond markets to secure funding for road development.
“The loan from the NDB shows international confidence in our capabilities despite the destructive comments from Outa.”
Macozoma says Outa and other special interest groups have led an illegal civil disobedience campaign to encourage citizens not to comply with their legal obligations to pay e-tolls.
“It is thanks to them that the level of compliance on the network is low and the much-needed extension of the Gauteng freeway network cannot proceed,” he points out, adding that these organisations are the reasons the delivery of toll road infrastructure has slowed down in the last decade.
As a result, this infrastructure will have to be delivered at a “much higher cost”, if at all, in the future, owing to the delayed maintenance.
“It is time that the government and the citizens of South Africa hold Outa to account for the civil disobedience campaigns that are contributing to the long-term destruction of critical road infrastructure,” Macozoma states.
The funds from the NDB will enable Sanral to bring forward much-needed improvements to toll road infrastructure across the country, which were delayed because of the declining income for the first phase of the Gauteng Freeway Improvement Project.
Sanral continues to look for more funding options to address the backlog of R140-billion for toll road projects that are currently without funding.