The toll tariff structure for the Gauteng freeways was with the Minister of Transport, Sibusiso Ndebele, awaiting his approval, said South African National Roads Agency Limited (Sanral) Gauteng Freeway Improvement Project (GFIP) manager Alex van Niekerk on Thursday.

Toll fees will be levied on most of Gauteng’s highways from June this year.

“We finished our work last year and now we hope to get it out there as soon as possible, so that people can stop speculating on what the toll fees will be,” noted Van Niekerk.

He added that Sanral remained convinced that a registered etag user would pay around 50c/km, before discounts, as the agency had noted since the inception of the GFIP.

“But, of course, it will be more expensive if you are not a registered user.”

Van Niekerk said that the 12c/km tariff quoted in a prominent newspaper in early January was incorrect.

More than 30 toll gantries had already been erected along the freeways which make up the 185-km GFIP network.

These gantries will be fitted with the toll collection equipment that will recognise the electronic transponder (etag) in a vehicle, while also classifying the type of vehicle in order to determine price.

Toll fees will then be deducted from users’ registered etoll accounts.

The front and back number plates of all vehicles will be photographed as part of the verification process, especially those vehicles without an etag.

Road users will have the option to register for their e-toll accounts through a website, at an etoll kiosk located at a mall, at an etoll customer services centre situated along the freeway network, by phoning in to a call centre, or by buying an etag at retail outlets, which can then be used immediately.

Registration will start towards the end of the first quarter of 2011.