Establishing special courts where e-toll non-payers can be prosecuted will create an added burden for motorists, the South African Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Sacci) said on Thursday.
“These structures will create an additional fiscal burden, which road users will have to pay for and will duplicate existing judicial structures capable of handling these charges,” Sacci CEO Neren Rau said in a statement.
“The Administrative Adjudication of Road Traffic Offences Act (Aarto) already provides for road traffic offences. The proposed special e-toll courts speaks to the questionable efficiency of the entire system.”
Rau said the e-tolls court would duplicate existing legitimate methods for law enforcement which will cost additional money and the oversight would be questionable.
Sacci called on roads agency Sanral to withdraw the proposal for the specialised courts.
Sanral and the justice department are discussing the possibility of establishing a special court after Sanral asked for such a court.
Sanral and former transport minister Ben Martins earlier acknowledged that the controversial Aarto Act will not be used to prosecute e-toll non-payers. Instead, the Criminal Procedure Act will be used. — Sapa