Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi has promised that e-tolls to be permanently scrapped

During his state of the province address, Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi has vowed that the e-tolls will be scrapped in the province.

The announcement was made by him during his State of the Province address at the Johannesburg City Hall on Monday evening.

The Gauteng government is to pay 30% of the South African National Roads Agency’s (Sanral) debt relating to e-tolls and the national government will pay the rest.

Lesufi said an announcement from relevant ministers on the controversial e-toll system is imminent.

He says they are trying to find a middle ground on the debt repayment method and that will be communicated in due course.

Lesufi says: “We are pleased to announce that e-tolls have been scrapped permanently in our province. Together with the minister of finance and transport, we will make a joint announcement in this regard together with the national government.”

“We are all on the verge of agreeing on all matters that will finally allow us to gazette the switching off of gantries, most importantly to agree on the debt repayment methods and money collected from paying customers as well as money not collected from non-paying customers. We are of a strong view, this chapter, this part of history in our province will finally be buried.”

In addition, Lesufi has called for more private and public cooperation when it comes to dealing with local crime.

Gauteng government also hopes these partnerships could benefit the 6 000 “wardens” with training and capacity building

“We are entering a new phase to make Gauteng a safer place. We are entering a new phase of partnership with those that are at the coal (face) of fighting crime. Let’s combine our energies and make criminals a foreign thing in history in our province,” Lesufi told Independent Media per the SABC.