Publications
Partners
- For more financial news,go to the News24 Business front page.
There has been a "clear decision" that motorists who have been paying e-tolls must receive some form of refund, Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi said on 702's John Perlman Show on Wednesday.
He indicated that such refunds would amount to close to R6.9 billion.
The e-toll system was due to be scrapped on 31 December 2022, but has been delayed as the formal process, including finalising key componants of the memorandum of understanding between national and provincial government, must still be finalised.
A decision still has to be taken on what form such refunds will take - for example, in cash or as credit for future use of other toll roads, according to Lesufi.
He said all uncertainties would be clarified in his upcoming State of the Province address.
The SA National Road Agency had struggled to recover costs of the Gauteng Freeway Improvement Project through e-tolls, with many motorists failing to pay them. The e-tolls also faced opposition from civil society groups like OUTA and labour federation Cosatu.
This ultimately pushed Sanral's debt burden to over R40 billion.
Last year, at the tabling of the medium-term budget policy statement, Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana announced that government would take on 70% of Sanral's debt, while the province would take on 30%.
On Tuesday, Sanral announced that former Industrial Development Corporation (IDC) executive Reginald Demana has been appointed as CEO with effect from 1 January.
