Sanral is still studying a ruling by the high court in Pretoria which brought the Gauteng e-tolling project to a halt, it said on Wednesday. “Sanral together with the department of transport has noted the judgment handed down by the north Gauteng court,” spokesman Felix Sebata said in a statement.
“We respect the judgment and will study the ruling and consider the next steps in consultation with our principals.”
On Saturday, Judge Bill Prinsloo granted an urgent interdict, brought by the Opposition to Urban Tolling Alliance, to stop the e-tolling system so that a full court review could be carried out to determine whether it should be scrapped.
Prinsloo said while he realised Sanral would suffer huge financial losses, the public would also suffer hardship if the controversial project went ahead. E-tolling was to have started on Monday on 185km of highway in Johannesburg and Pretoria.
Sebata said Sanral was an agency of the transport department and, as such, its mandate was to implement policy. He said it therefore took its lead from the department.
“The agency is not able to comment any further at this point. We therefore ask that you contact the department of transport if you have any further questions.”
The department was unavailable for comment on Wednesday morning. It said in a statement on Saturday that it noted the judgment. “We respect the decision. We will study the ruling thoroughly and decide on the next course of action,” spokesman Tiyani Rikhotso said. — Sapa
