SANRAL e-Tolls: R28.7 Billion Debt for a System Nobody Used

DocumentedZuma EraNone

Overview Institutions Consequences Paper Trail

The Gauteng Freeway Improvement Project cost R17.9B — more than double what it should have. SANRAL imposed electronic tolling in December 2013 to recoup costs. The public refused to pay. After a decade of mass civil disobedience, e-tolls were scrapped in April 2024. SANRAL was left with R28.7B in debt plus R20B in projected interest — a ~R49B burden for a project that should have cost R8B.

R28.7 billion

Transport Corruption

The e-toll saga is a case study in arrogance, waste, and ignoring the public.

The GFIP to upgrade Gauteng's freeways was necessary. But OUTA found the R17.9B cost was more than double what it should have been. Rather than funding via the fuel levy, SANRAL chose electronic tolling with Austrian company Kapsch TrafficCom.

Allegations of corruption included a R10M payment to BEE facilitator PRO-ASH and Kapsch TrafficCom's implication in bribery in Zambia through South African accounts.

On 3 December 2013, the gantries went live. Gauteng motorists responded with unprecedented civil disobedience — compliance below 30%. OUTA gained 72,000 supporters. In October 2022, Finance Minister Godongwana signalled the end. On 28 March 2024, e-tolls were officially scrapped.

By March 2024, SANRAL's total debt and losses: R28.7 billion. Projected interest to 2036: R20 billion. Total taxpayer burden: ~R49 billion.

Implicated Institutions

Consequences

infrastructure collapsecompleted2024-04-11

E-toll system officially scrapped on 11 April 2024 after a decade of civil disobedience. R28.7B debt + R20B projected interest.

~R49B total cost to taxpayers for a road upgrade that should have cost R8B.

SANRAL e-Tolls: R28.7 Billion Debt for a System Nobody Used | 4FactSake