E-tolls regime scrapped, but motorists still have to pay outstanding bills

E-tolls will be permanently scrapped from Friday, but motorists will still be expected to pay their outstanding debts.

The government gazette was published just towards the end of March, however, how the debts will be collected will be announced at a later stage.

This was announced by the Gauteng premier Panyaza Lesufi during a joint media briefing by the Department of Transport Sindisiwe Chikunga and the SA National Roads Agency (Sanral) during a press briefing in Centurion on Wednesday.

Chikunga said the e-toll gantries would now be used as speed traps as well as monitoring highways to capture stolen vehicles and cloned plate numbers.

She admitted that the system had been a pain to the motorists’ pockets and was of great concern to Cabinet.

If motorists will be repaid their money, the Sanral information pack revealed that no communique regarding the refunding or prosecution of the outstanding toll fees.

“Once an instruction has been received in this regard from its political principle, SANRAL will inform its customers accordingly,” the Sanral info pack said.

Here is what you need to know from e-tolls:

- The Sanral account will still be valid, and motorists can still use their tags as a toll payment method at all conventional toll plazas. Accounts will remain active and working as long as the mobility and tag account has sufficient funds and is topped up.

- The Sanral account is still valid and has sufficient balance and motorists can use their SANRAL account, if it is linked to an e-tag, as a parking payment method at the participating malls. A list of the malls is available on the Sanral App.

- The e-toll invoices will be rolled up until the last day April 11, 2024, at midnight, and road users are obligated to pay tolls until this period and invoices will be issued containing all transactions up until that date and time.

The minister said due to potential delays with the postal system, invoices till the closure will be received sometime after April 12.

Lesufi thanked the government for taking a decision to scrap the e-tolls.

kamogelo.moichela@iol.co.za

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