The Freedom Front Plus and its partners in the struggle against e-tolls, the Transvaal Agricultural Union of South Africa (TAU SA) and the National Ratepayers Union (NRU) will be asking the High Court to consider its application for an interdict against the implementation of the E-Toll Act before the 3rd December, Adv. Anton Alberts, the FF Plus’ parliamentary spokesperson on Transport says.
 
According to Adv. Alberts, the application is being brought on the basis of the unconstitutionality of the Act. The application was handed to the court last week.
 
The minister of Transport, Ms. Dipuo Peters, today announced that the system will be implemented as from the 3rd December, despite the legal opinion of the FF Plus, which is widely supported, that the Act is unconstitutional, as well as a growing public resistance against the system which is publically viewed as an unfair form of tax.
 
Peters today also threatened that motorists without e-tags will be paying double and will not be considered for any special discount.
 
Regarding this, Adv. Alberts says that the minister is misleading the public with her threats and is blackmailing the public. There is no legal obligation to obtain an e-tag and motorists who do not purchase e-tags may legally not be fined as they are not contravening any law.
 
Adv. Alberts says the FF Plus’ legal action against e-tolls is essentially about the fact that the Act had been incorrectly classified in the parliamentary process.
 
“We have also now established that there are serious doubts about the socio-economic- and traffic impact studies which had to be done in the run-up to the writing of the E-Toll Act.
 
“The minister is refusing to answer a question which the FF Plus had asked in Parliament about the minister’s decision to postpone the implementation of sections 3(b) and (c) of the E-Tolls Act, which deal with the impact studies that have to be undertaken. The minister also declined to state when these sections of the Act would be implemented.
 
“These issues are crucial to the legality of the E-Toll Act and the public has a right to be informed about this.
 
“It appears as if government is purposefully trying to mislead the public. The ANC has for the first time collided with the public’s opposition, from across the whole political spectrum, against e-tolls and it will without a doubt be reflected in next year’s election results,” Adv. Alberts says.