DA shows support outside e-toll case

2012-08-15 14:11

(File, Sapa)

Johannesburg - A small group of DA supporters were gathered outside the Constitutional Court on Wednesday morning ahead of a court challenge over e-tolling in Gauteng.

"We are going to be here the whole day," Precious Gcabashe said.

"We don't want the toll gate. We are hoping for the government to hear us."

Clad in blue DA T-shirts they sang and danced, holding posters which read: "Hoot for a toll free GP."

Democratic Alliance MPL Jack Bloom said he was expecting up to 300 supporters.

Arguments expected

The court is expected to hear arguments on Wednesday as to why it should overturn an interim interdict preventing e-tolling in Gauteng from going ahead.

According to the interdict granted by the High Court in Pretoria on 28 April, a full review first needed to be carried out before electronic tolling of Gauteng's highways could be implemented.

The SA National Roads Agency (Sanral) and National Treasury are appealing the order.

The Opposition to Urban Tolling Alliance (Outa), which was granted the interdict, would oppose this move.

Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan applied to the Constitutional Court to set aside the court order preventing Sanral from implementing e-tolling.

Gordhan argued that Judge Bill Prinsloo had ignored the principle of the separation of powers. He said the decision to halt e-tolling would negatively affect the economy.

Not admitted

In its reply, Outa said Sanral was still not ready to launch the project.

Last week, the DA said it had applied to join the Constitutional Court case, but it was not admitted as a friend of the court as it had hoped.

The High Court in Pretoria would hear further arguments in the e-toll case on 26 November.

Under the project, motorists would pay over 35c/ km to travel on some of Gauteng's major roads.

The project had been scheduled to start on 30 April, but was postponed after a meeting between the ANC and its alliance partner, the Congress of SA Trade Unions.

- SAPA