November 26, 2008 Edition 2
Sibusiso Mboto

MOTORISTS in KwaZulu-Natal already fork out far more than their fair share – almost half – of the money generated from tolls throughout the country, even before contentious new tolls are introduced in the province.

This emerged from a heated debate in the KZN legislature yesterday.

DA MPL Roger Burrows said in the legislature recently that the Mariannhill toll plaza alone generated more than R500 million annually. The proposed addition of more tollgates in the province has drawn wide criticism, with the KZN finance committee demanding to know from transport minister Jeff Radebe how the revenue generated from tollgates was spent.

The SA National Roads Agency Limited (Sanral) has proposed that additional tollgates be constructed on the N2 south of Durban and outside the new airport being built at La Mercy. The finance committee has formulated a resolution in terms of which transport MEC Bheki Cele will ask Radebe:

• How much money is generated from the tollgates in the province annually;
• much KZN gets when the money has been collected and whether it is proportionate to the money generated; and
• KZN has the most tollgates in the country.

Finance committee chairwoman Belinda Scott confirmed yesterday that there were concerns over what was seen as the “over-tolling” of KZN roads by the national transport department.

During the recent appearance of the transport department before the finance committee it emerged that some key projects, including the John Ross Highway on the North Coast, were likely to prove costly to the province because the national departments of transport and of trade and industry had displayed reluctance to provide funds.

Cele confirmed yesterday that KZN was the main generator of revenue from tollgates, but could not say how much was generated annually. “This province contributes 46% of the total revenue, but it is the (national) treasury’s decision as to how the money is distributed,” he said.

Cele added that the matter had been raised in the past at meetings of transport MECs with the minister. He was lukewarm on the prospects of the committee’s resolution having an effect nationally, saying: “I don’t want to be too optimistic on the matter.”

It has been suggested that with more than 10 tollgates in the province, the transport department is targeting KZN motorists to foot national bills without giving the province a fair share of the revenue.

Sanral was accused of intending to use the Amanzimtoti toll to fund new roads in the Eastern Cape.

The DA has led the chorus of criticism of the proposed tolls, accusing the transport department of “milking the golden goose” by targeting KZN motorists.

DA MPL Radley Keys said KZN was the base for nine of the 10 tolls on the N2. “Clearly, Sanral have identified the N2 as a major source of revenue,” he said.

Keys, also a member of the transport portfolio committee and DA spokesman on transport, said KZN motorists were being hit with a triple burden in high fuel costs, personal taxes and now the prospect of another tollgate.

sibusiso.mboto@inl.co.za

Posted on November 26th, 2008
Filed under: Newspaper and Media