By: Natasha Archary

The Democratic Alliance in Gauteng has accused Premier Panyaza Lesufi of misleading the public with regards to the scrapping of e-Tolls in the province, saying motorists are going to be held accountable to pay until December 2023.
In a statement issued by the opposition party, the DA says the e-Toll contract has been extended for another 6-months, meaning cash-strapped residents will still be required to pay for the unwanted tolls until then.
“Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi has misled Gauteng residents into thinking that e-Tolls have been scrapped, while the contract has been extended for another 6-months.
This means that Gauteng motorists will continue to pay for this unwanted system until December 2023. Gauteng residents, are already struggling to make ends meet due to the high cost of living, which is hitting hard on their pockets.
Continuing to pay for e-Tolls will worsen the situation.
Sadly, Premier Lesufi used the e-Tolls as an electioneering tool to garner votes for next year’s elections without considering the impact on people’s daily lives.”
In October 2022, Finance Minister, Enoch Godongwana says government will absorb the R47 billion SANRAL debt which was brought on by e-tolls.
While Lesufi welcomed the decision to scrap the tolls, he did stress that a small portion of the debt will need to be accounted for, which Gauteng taxpayers will likely be responsible for.
“We will consult the people of Gauteng on how this 30% should be funded. We don’t want to make the same mistake of imposing a model. So, we will run a consultative conference with people of Gauteng on how best to settle this 30%.”Panyaza Lesufi on the portion of the e-toll debt which will need to be funded.
Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi on the portion of debt from e-Tolls that still needs to be accounted for
However, the DA says Lesufi has no proper plan in place to deal with the issue, claiming the Premier is still battling to find a financial model for the replacement of e-Tolls.
The DA has submitted questions to the Gauteng MEC for Roads and Transport, Kedione Diale, to ascertain the progress in finding a financial model to service the e-Toll debt.
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