SA Wants Clarity on E Tolls, Mbalula Passes the Buck to Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana

• South Africans are still waiting to hear if the government will be getting rid of e-tolls in the Gauteng province
• The Minister of Transport Fikile Mbalula says the decision on e-tolls is still pending and that Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana will give clarity
• South Africans have taken note that e-tolls are only a topic because the municipal elections are coming up soon

JOHANNESBURG - The future of electronic tolling systems in the Gauteng province now lies in the hands of the Minister of Finance Enoch Godongwana, who is set to give clarity on the controversial system.

Minister of Transport Fikile Mbalula says that while Godongwana will inform the country on whether or not the e-toll system will be continued or scrapped, Cabinet ministers also have a say in the matter.

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Fin24 reports that e-tolls were commissioned in 2011 as part of a project to pay for the R17.9 billion improvements of highways in Gauteng.

Since the implementation of e-tolls Gauteng, citizens have been against it and have opted not to pay the fees associated with the e-tolling system. This has caused problems because Sanral has not been able to collect enough fees from motorists.

Mbalula denies saying e-tolls cannot be scrapped

Mbalula headed online to set the record straight about allegations that he said e-tolls will not be scrapped. He realised a statement on his official Twitter account and stated that the claims that he made such remarks were mischievous and malicious.

He clarified that there are organisations such as the Organisation Undoing Tax Abuse and the government in Gauteng are against the e-tolling system, reports SowetanLIVE.

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South Africans had a few words to say about Mbalula's statement. Here are some comments:

@ezioivan1 said:

"Minister end the speculation because delaying the decision can only lead ppl to think u are retaining the system u just waiting for the elections to clear a path for u to formally announce it since u seem to be making a politically strategic decision as to not impact the results."

@neothako said:

"This statement does not mean anything, just a waste of ink and paper...the best way forward is to get people to remove those things and send them for weighing at the scrap metal"

@tmatsapola said:

"Delaying a decision and only addressing it towards elections without resolution is at best mischievous and at worst malicious. Just keep quiet and give the country a final statement on it. Campaigning and promising us air won't work."

@KhutsoRebel said:

"Watch ANC march against itself to the Union Buildings over e-tolls, idiocy. The decision on e-tolls will remain pending till ANC is taken out of power."

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@Sibusis74420857 said:

"Kanti how long does it take and how many Minister's, Premiers and Presidents does it take to make just one decision? Or is there something we don't know, just tell us "

Jacob Mamabolo says scrapping billion-rand e toll system is "imminent”, SA welcomes it

Briefly News previously reported that Transport MEC Jacob Mambolo has said that the decision to cancel e-toll in the Gauteng region is an imminent one. While Mambolo made it clear that he is not saying e-toll is already scrapped in the area, many people have taken it that way.

Stephen Grootes recently announced that e-toll has been scrapped and this left Mambolo claiming that the radio host had "distorted" his words.

Mambolo then did an interview with a local publication to set the record straight that he did not say it was officially scrapped but rather that the decision was going to be made - eventually.

Source: Briefly News