Fikile Mbalula, the transport minister, has said that an announcement on an end to e-tolls will be made in October, this time “for sure.” This is according to News24.
Since he assumed office in May 2019, Mbalula has made a number of deadline-expiring promises to make a pronouncement about e-tolls. Mbalula, speaking at a media briefing in Pretoria on Thursday, said that the decision would be made in the October Medium-Term Budget Policy Statement.
“Between myself and the minister of finance we have been directed by the President that this matter [should] come to Cabinet. It will feature as a matter resolved by Cabinet at the Medium-Term Budget Policy Statement. This one is for sure, for certain,” he said.
Mbalula said that a decision that would have affected the fuel levy had been made by Cabinet some time ago. An increase in the fuel levy in Gauteng has previously been proposed as a way to pay for e-tolls.
“But the fuel levy story has become very messy over time. It is no longer a direction we can use,” he said.
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