Cabinet authorised Sanral to write off historic e-toll debt and end litigation, but motorists who paid will not be refunded.
In a long-awaited move to close the e-toll matter, the Cabinet has authorised Sanral to write off the e-toll’s historical debt and to end all litigation, bringing relief amid high fuel costs.
The minister of transport, Barbara Creecy, and deputy minister Mkhuleko Hlengwa have welcomed Cabinet’s “long-awaited step” to close the e-toll matter.
Cabinet approved closing of Gauteng e-toll debt
This comes after Cabinet’s decision to approve that South African National Roads Agency SOC Limited (Sanral) implements the closure of the Gauteng Freeway Improvement Project (GFIP) historical debt.
This includes the close-out of historical e-toll debt and the resolution of all outstanding litigation matters.
Cabinet’s approval comes after the government decided to end the e-toll scheme and withdraw the GFIP toll declarations on 11 April 2024.
“[Creecy and Hlengwa] have characterised this decision as a long-awaited step to close the GFIP e-toll matter in an orderly and responsible manner,” the department said.
The ministers said Cabinet’s decision brings much-needed respite and relieves the financial strain on drivers who are already struggling with rising fuel costs due to geopolitical matters.
End litigation
Cabinet’s approval confirms that outstanding and unpaid historical e-toll debt owed by road users will be written off and Sanral will not pursue any further collections of historical debt.
Road users who lawfully paid e-tolls while the system was legally in force will not be refunded.
“The no-refund position arises from lawful levies at the time they were paid, that is, before the toll declarations were withdrawn,” the transport department explained.
“The write-off of outstanding debt gives effect to government’s decision to close the GFIP e-toll scheme and provide finality to road users, Sanral and the fiscus.”
GFIP was implemented and run under Sanral, in accordance with the applicable tolling framework and approvals that were in effect at the time.
Freeway network funding
The e-toll system was introduced as a funding mechanism for the upgraded Gauteng freeway network.
The department said that the write-off of historical debt is intended to provide certainty, settle historical debt matters and promote a sustainable approach to the funding, maintaining and improving South Africa’s national road network.
“Government further emphasises that the user-pay principle remains an important part of South Africa’s road infrastructure funding framework where it is broadly accepted by road users through negotiation and agreement, appropriately structured, legally sound and supported by clear policy certainty,” it said.
