Gauteng’s controversial e-toll project is currently under investigation for the possible conversion into crime monitoring infrastructure.
This is according to a statement released by the Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi, providing an update on the ongoing plans for the tolling scheme’s repurposing under the revised agenda for the Gauteng Freeway Improvement Project (GFIP).
Task teams
Initially, finance minister Enoch Godongwana during the 2022 medium-term budget speech said the debt that e-tolls incurred thus far would be absorbed, with the national government covering 70% of the costs while the Gauteng provincial government covers the remaining 30% with staggered payments over the next 20 years.
However, the minister also said that the provincial government would from now on be responsible for all future costs and maintenance of the GFIP.
“Our proposal was mainly and only on the 30% [outstanding debt] but the Minister’s speech included maintenance,” said Lesufi.
“We are not rejecting or objecting, because these are national roads, and if we as Gauteng are expected to maintain them, there must be due process.”
A meeting in the near future will provide further clarity on the specific responsibilities of the Gauteng government in this regard, said Lesufi.
In the meantime, Cabinet has resolved to appoint three task teams for overseeing the future of e-tolls.
The first team will get the job of figuring out where the money will come from for maintaining the GFIP going forward, and this will be led by the MEC for Finance, Jacob Mamabolo.
The second team, led by the MEC for community safety Faith Mazibuko, will then investigate how the existing e-toll infrastructure can be repurposed, with the current proposal being to utilize the highway gantries to “deal with the challenges of crime,” according to the Premier.
The provincial government has yet to say exactly how the e-tolls could be repurposed to combat crime, however, Sanral previously suggested that the gantries could be used to install and enforce average-speed restrictions and provide additional intelligence to law enforcement.
Both these task forces will be supported by a third “technical team” – led by the Acting Director General from the office of Premier Mduduzi Mbada.
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