On e-tolls We are told that the primary purpose of collecting that revenue through the scheme is to service a debt. But I have got 2 concerns. Fristly, a debt of this nature is common for its incessant increase in interets, right? Infact as things stand, due to the delay in implementation, the debt has accumulated in the past 2 years or so. Therefore, the less revenue collected means the less and longer SANRAL comes close to finalising the debt. Infact, save for few rebels and few compliers, the tolled Highway was reportedly quiet, owing mainly to use of alternative routes. In short, the lesser there are eTag subscribers, the longer it would take to finalise the payment of the debt which would have accumulated to greater heights as time passes. In the same breath, what would happen to the project if SANRAL could mysteriously raise enough funds to service the debt in a short space of time, would the reason for the e-tolls still exist? Secondly, around the taxis exemption, very few of us know that taxis have to formally register with SANRAL for such an exemption, meaning its not automatic. Given the general igonarance and general proclivity not to comply amongst the ordinary opertators in that indusrty, its not unreasonable to claim that only a handful know about this requirement. Infact I challenge u to run a mini-research at Park Station tomorrow morning checking how many of them knew that they have to queue at SANRAL for official exemption. Very few would have complied even in 5months time. Also on this score, the taxi industry is one industry I know whose profit is tax-free. Taxi owners rake in untaxed millions in profits yet they are the first to be exempted from another tax (eToll). Ordinary road users who are not in the business of making money are expeted to pay. Mind you, when petrol goes up, taxis know how to recoup their revenue.....Yes, youve guessed it right - through taxi-fare increases. So the excuse that their exemption is to cater for the poor is a complete hogwash. We all know that they (Govt) couldnt live with the anarchy they would have had to contend with had the taxis not been exempted. Besides, this excuse also foolishly assumes that everybody that boards a taxi is poor. Another exploitation of the term poor by those who always do. So what we have here is that those who use the roads for profit wont be paying for the upgrades, but all other road users will, GREAT. If there was any point in history for the return of Jesus in South Africa, it would have been the current times. There have been a lot happening this year alone to facilitate his speedy return. But knowing how unreflective South Africans are (including the fiercest of moaners) the return of the Son of Man faces another indefinate postponement come next years polls.
Posted on: Tue, 03 Dec 2013 20:57:11 +0000
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