Justice Project South Africa has taken note of the three latest e-tolls adverts featuring celebrities Tbo Touch, Minnie Dlamini and Khanyi Mbau and is somewhat concerned about the apparent involvement of the Gauteng Provincial Government in this advertising campaign. 

We have also noted that the best response that SANRAL could come up with was to accuse OUTA of being “obsessed” with them.

Our observation has been that unlike JPSA, OUTA was formed as a direct consequence of SANRAL’s GFIP e-tolling project. It therefore follows that OUTA would indeed concentrate its efforts on that issue, so SANRAL should not be in the least bit surprised when they are called out by OUTA.

What is of greater concern to JPSA however is the apparent ownership of that advertising campaign apparently being vested in the Gauteng Provincial Government. With so many other urgent issues which require funding in Gauteng, it is surprising that the Gauteng Provincial Government would choose to spend money on producing and airing as well as paying so-called “celebrities” to promote e-tolling instead of spending it where it is truly needed. At the end of each of these adverts, there appears the logo of the Gauteng Provincial Government.

Despite the huge expenditure wasted on so-called “e-tolling review panel” eyewash exercise last year where it became more than apparent that almost everyone in Gauteng opposes the tolling of urban freeways, it is apparent that the Gauteng Provincial Government has chosen its side and is prepared to waste even more money on trying to convince people that tolling our urban routes is “the better way to go”.

Serious questions as to where and when budget was approved by the Gauteng Provincial Government to engage in pro e-tolling advertising need to be asked, particularly in light of the fact that it is doubtful whether a handful of “celebrities” who have clearly been paid to promote e-tolling will have much effect on anything other than branding themselves as mercenary sell-outs, just like the young lady who was similarly paid to laud the roadside assistance SANRAL sometimes provides on the GFIP.

 

Issued by Justice Project South Africa