Minister of Transport Fikile Mbalula has welcomed the announcement made by the Minister of Finance in respect of the funding and the future of the Gauteng Freeway Improvement Project and the e-tolls.
In June 2022, Mbalula publicly pronounced that consultations with Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana were at an advanced stage to finalise the decision on e-tolls, which would be announced in the Medium-Term Budget Policy Statement (MTBPS).
“It has taken protracted consultations between the National Treasury, the Department of Transport and Gauteng government to make a firm determination on the future of e-tolls and a funding model for the Gauteng Freeway Improvement Project.
“We therefore welcome the pronouncement by the Minister of Finance that the Gauteng provincial government has agreed to contribute 30% towards the settling South African National Roads Agency SOC Ltd (SANRAL) debt and interest obligations, while national government covers 70%.
“The allocation of R23.7 billion in the adjustment budget will go a long way in ensuring that SANRAL is able to meet its debt repayment obligations and maintaining a healthy balance sheet,” the Minister said on Wednesday.
In the coming week, Minister Mbalula and the Gauteng Provincial Government will provide detailed information on the road ahead for the e-tolls and the Gauteng Freeway Improvement Project.