Urban tolling is not conducive to economic growth or development, the ANC in Gauteng said on Tuesday.
“It’s a no-no. You can’t do it,” ANC provincial chairman Paul Mashatile told the Gauteng Advisory Panel on e-tolls at the provincial legislature.
Mashatile said government could not toll areas which were the core of economic activity.
He said people had no problem paying for tolls on long distance routes but the method would not work in urban areas.
Asked by the panel whether the ANC would be willing to compromise on their stance on e-tolls, Mashatile said they stood with what the people wanted.
“Suggesting to our people that they’d pay even if they don’t like it… we won’t support that,” he said.
Mashatile said the SA National Roads Agency Limited and the provincial government could co-operate and review the current system.
Gauteng premier David Makhura established the panel on July 17 to assess the social and economic impact of e-tolls.
The review panel is intended to examine the economic and social impact of the Gauteng Freeway Improvement Project and the electronic tolling system set up to fund it.
The panel is expected to present its findings to Makhura at the end of November.
Source : Sapa /nsm/jk/jje/lp
