Motorists who paid e-tolls will be refunded, confirms Lesufi

Gauteng premier Panyaza Lesufi has confirmed e-tolls will be officially scrapped in the province and motorists who paid the fees will be refunded.

Speaking on 702 this week, he said the decision on whether to refund Gauteng motorists was one of the key issues that led to the delay of the e-tolling system being scrapped on December 31, as originally planned.

It followed finance minister Enoch Godongwana announcing on October 26 last year, during his mid-term budget speech, that a new financing mechanism for the Gauteng freeway upgrade debt will replace the failed e-toll scheme.

The Organisation Undoing Tax Abuse (Outa) criticised the delay in scrapping the e-tolls, but Lesufi said there were financial and tax implications for the province which need to be ironed out. Scrapping the scheme requires formally declaring Gauteng freeways are no longer toll roads in a gazetted notice by the department of transport. Lesufi hoped it would be finalised within the next few weeks.