At the meeting held on 27 March 2024, between the Minister of Transport, Ms Sindisiwe Chikunga, the Minister of Finance, Mr Enoch Godongwana, and the Gauteng Province's Premier, Mr Panyaza Lesufi, an agreement was reached to delink the Gauteng Freeway Improvement Scheme e-tolls from gantries on the 11th of April 2024 at 11:59:59. This will effectively bring the urban e-tolling in Gauteng to an end. However, the ring roads that were part of the scheme shall remain the national roads.
In the meeting, parties agreed that to put this decision into effect, the gazette amending the initial declarations of the Gauteng Freeway Network as tolled roads must be published on 28 March 2024 (today).
Parties agreed to enter into a Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) to formalize alternative funding solutions for the GFIP debt repayment and deal with the backlog of maintenance and rehabilitation costs.
Parties also agreed that the MoA would also regulate the financial and funding contribution towards the SANRAL liability in compliance with the policy objectives and institutional framework for road infrastructure management in South Africa.
Parties were unanimous that terms needed to be set in black and white on the MoA for the Gauteng Province to contribute to the backlog of maintenance and rehabilitation costs.
Parties also emphasized the fact that the government was already far advanced with its plans to repurpose the e-toll infrastructure to improve mobility, road safety, and combat crime.
Parties were unambiguous on the fact that the user-pay principle remains a government policy and commit to continually engage and work together to explore adequate and stable funding solutions for road construction, maintenance, and upgrade to support economic development.
Ministry of Transport Media contacts:
Collen Msibi
National Spokesperson
Ministry of Transport
Cell: 066 476 9015
Ms Cleopatra Mosana
Media Liaison Officer Ministry of Finance
Cell: 063 686 8413
Sizwe Pamla
Spokesperson Gauteng Premier
Cell: 060 975 6794
