Prepare to pay to drive the new R21-billion Gauteng freeway system

Commuters are going to pay hundreds, if not thousands of rands a month to use Gauteng's new transport system. The introduction of toll roads has the potential to devastate the local economy and cripple everyday commuters as a result of these unreasonably high fees.

There’s a horrible surprise waiting for commuters come April 2011, a bill of anywhere between R54 and R1,020 (depending on the length of your commute) per month to use the new highways.

Initial estimates is that you’ll get fleeced of 50c/km to use the highways, but we could be in for up to 68c/km after inflation.

Best case scenario is if you live in Soweto and drive to Sandton every day (only 2.7km of the route is tolled) you’re going to pay R54 a month for 20-day work month. But if you’re one of the poor suckers like me who live in Roodepoort or Randburg and need to commute to Rivonia Rd, we’re in for a whopping R566 a month for the 28.3km of the N1 that is tolled. On average, Joburg commuters can expect to pay R553 a month to use the highways.

If SANRAL decides to hike the per-kilometre rate to 68c, those numbers could go up to as much as R74 for the Soweto/Sandton route, R769 for the Roodepoort/Rivonia route and a whopping R1,387 a month for the Joburg/Pretoria route.

These rates are just for everyday cars mind you. Trucks and goods vehicles will be hit even harder no doubt. And I can guarantee you that motorcycles will be tolled just as hard as cars so it doesn’t even pay you to switch from four to two wheels.

Add the cost of fuel and you’ve got a formula for economic ruin for average Joburg residents, not to mention the inflationary effect that these additional costs will have on local businesses.

Whatever happens, Joburgers and the residents of Gauteng are going to be a bunch of much poorer people thanks to SANRAL’s tolls. It’s definitely not a pretty picture.

The public can not carry the costs anymore!
Make your voices heard against the ridiculously high toll gate tariffs.

Sign the petition here:- http://www.tollgatepetition.org.za/