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SANRAL: Statement by South African National Roads Agency SOC Limited, notes the rulings by the Advertising Standards Authority on complaints regarding two of its advertisements (02/06/2014)

SANRAL: Statement by South African National Roads Agency SOC Limited, notes the rulings by the Advertising Standards Authority on complaints regarding two of its advertisements (02/06/2014)
Photo by Duane Daws

2nd June 2014

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/ MEDIA STATEMENT / The content on this page is not written by Polity.org.za, but is supplied by third parties. This content does not constitute news reporting by Polity.org.za.

The South African National Roads Agency SOC Ltd (SANRAL) has noted the rulings by the Advertising Standards Authority upholding or partially upholding the complaints with regard to two of its advertisements. These advertising campaigns ran its course and will no longer be flighted.
 
“As SANRAL we are extremely aware of the scrutiny our advertising is exposed to and as a result we continuously strive to provide information which we believe is truthful and accurate,” said SANRAL’s head of communications Vusi Mona. “SANRAL has no intention to mislead the public.  We take note of all conditions of the law and will continue to comply.”
 
We would like to take this opportunity to set the record straight around the e-tag sales figures. Do note that these remain unaudited.
 
In order to report on it, please allow us to explain a bit of background around the reporting on the figure.
 
In the past, the manner in which ‘’e-tag sales’’ have been reported in the media has sensationalised the matter. Also, because the terminology used in the different questions was used interchangeably, some misunderstanding might have arisen. Specifically,
 
·        e-tag sales does not refer to registrations -  it merely refers to e-tags being sold, which might or might not include the tags ‘’sold’’ by the key account holders*, and/or e-tag sales at retail outlets – e-tags ‘’sold’’ does not mean it is necessarily registered on the e-toll system;

·        registrations do not just refer to vehicles fitted with e-tags -  it can be any vehicle that is registered an e-toll account, with or without an e-tag, and might or might not include exempt vehicles;

·        e-tags taken up – refer to e-tags registered on the e-toll system, and might or might not include e-tags taken up by key account holders, registered on their system, but not necessarily registered on the e-toll system, and might or might not include e-tags ‘’sold’’ at the retailers, again that might not be linked to a vehicle or registered on the e-toll system;

  
Media enquiries were responded to by SANRAL depending on how the questions were asked.
  
Additionally, there are a number of factors that influence the figures, e.g.:
 
·        the feedback we receive from the key account holders and retailers on e-tags taken up, sold or registered – we have to depend on their internal stock and management processes

·        the selling of vehicles and the re-allocation of e-tags to new vehicles, through the Key Accounts

·        the registration of vehicles on the key account holder systems, but not on the e-toll account system

·        the selling of tags by retailers, but the non-linking of the e-tags to vehicles

·        the closing and re-opening of accounts, using the same or different e-tags

·        the registration of exempt vehicles.

 
All of these factors lead to misunderstanding of the figures that SANRAL reports on. As can be seen, the terminology used might be confusing to any person and our detractors used the reporting, to question our honesty.
 
*Key Account holders: refer to companies, e.g. banks and vehicle rental companies that have direct electronic integration to the e-toll system, that obtain e-tags from SANRAL, and distribute e-tags to their vehicles or clients, that they then register on their own system and then upload the details in bulk onto the e-toll system.
 

"The accusation that SANRAL is dishonest about the e-tag figures is concerning to us and we take it very seriously," Mona said.
 
In view of the ASA ruling, it would mean that all figures released by SANRAL would need to be audited figures. However, e-tag figures will need to include auditing 3rd parties’ processes that do not fall within SANRAL. The demand for the figures to be audited basically means SANRAL can only release these once a per annum after the Auditor General has audited the agency.  
 
Mona said SANRAL would continue to be vigilant and monitor its communication.

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