E-tolling or E Thief?

[Blurock]

Interesting article by Kelvin Kemm in Engineering News.

I quote;"Finance minister Pravin Gordhan announced in his budget that the National treasury would contribute R5.75 BILLION to the cost of improved roads. However, it appears all that money will go to Austria within FOUR years. Those of us who get to drive in Austria can feel good that Austrian roads are particularly funded by folks in Gauteng."

Why does the general public not know that we are paying our toll fees to Austria and not for the maintenance of our roads? Why is nobody objecting to this?

I am all for toll fees to pay for maintenance and new roads, but NOT to fund some foreign shareholders!

[Citizen X]

Yes, South Africans should be plain angry that foreign shareholders are benefiting..You know, I would like to have seen the expression on the faces of our public servants when they sold us out! Did they have a good laugh? Was there a lavish supper following the etolling decision? I would also like to know what was the exact process from conception to completion of etolling? I suspect that etolling will be rolled out to all provinces and that Gauteng is just the test baby. I think the Government realised that had they rolled etolling out in the entire country South Africans would brought this country to a standstill. The government must learn the lesons of the Arab awakeing i.e. Egypt and Libiya when your people say NO, listen to your people, don't sell your people out!!!!

[Citizen X]

"E THIEF."
I love our South African people for many reasons. Our robust demonstrations and strikes is just one reason. The creativity of the content on placards is plain classic, South Affrican style! On 403, enews today, it was reported that etolling is suspended pending review. Part of the footage included demonstrations against etolling. One placard stood out for me and said it all! “ E Thief!”

[Blurock]

Power to the people! No to e-tolling. The people have spoken!

[adrianh]

Hmmm...for how long will there be no e-tolls, don't kid yourself, they'll get the money from us one way or another...40c for petrol or something or the other....we may have won a little superficial battle but they are winning the war (we are just to doff to realize it)

[Citizen X]

With the benefit of restful hindsight I find as follows:-
1. Failed South African projects that have manifested in huge financial loss is really nothing new to South Africa.Pebble Bed Modular Reactor (Pty) Ltd. We lost a good few millions here, it wasn’t a big deal. We moved on fairly quickly;
2. White elephant is defined as,”a. A rare, expensive possession that is a financial burden to maintain.b. Something of dubious or limited value.2. An article, ornament, or household utensil no longer wanted by its owner.3. An endeavor or venture that proves to be a conspicuous failure.” The Sanral structures can become a good white elephant. We can use them for Christmas lights and decorations in Decmeber;
3. Etolling was just sprung on South Africans from nowhere over night! All of a sudden we began hearing things like, “a road is an expensive thing,’ “Etolling is here to stay,” “etolling is a reality,”
4. The cost is only 32 Billion not much when you consider the various other South Africans initiatives that failed dismally. Let this project also be a failure. The Department of Transport doesn’t even have to write to that Austrian company, they can just quickly phone them and tell them, it didn’t work, the people of South Africa don’t want etolling and that they much just write off that 32 billion(global economic crisis).
5. The average South African is now aware that the intention was to roll etolling out to all provinces but Gauteng was the test pilot. The average South African now has many questions: Who brokered this deal? How did that Austrian company get the contract? Who was paid what and when?
“E THIEF,”

[Blurock]

Legal practisioners have roayal time in this country. I wish someone would add up the wasted legal cost of all the municipalities and government departments eminating from fraud, corruption and badly planned projects, non delivery of services, suspended officials still drawing salaries etc.

No wonder they are finding new ingenious ways of taxing the public to fund their lavish lifestyles. The next frontier is WATER. Water will be taxed and price increases thqat may put ESCOM to shame are in the pipeline. Already in Durban the municipality has done away with the free allocation of water AND they have increased the billing rate.

[Citizen X]

Selebi's legal team was paid some 7 million. I was of the understanding that the State would pay for it on condition that he was acquited failing which he must pay for it..not sure what's happening there..ther's just a deafening silence from the selebi family.."My hands are clean, finish and klaar!" "Dis lekker in Suid Afrika, cos, Toronto is too blady far"

[Citizen X]

OUTA, words will always remain very little reward for what we do, in all sincerity I say thank you! I hold you in high regard OUTA, I commend you!
1. There have been absurd statements regarding motorists and etolling making the public rounds such as ‘if you own a car, then you can afford etolling,” and “If you can’t afford etolling then you shouldn’t be driving a motor vehicle, you should be using public transport,” and “Public transport is efficient and effective.”

2. On what premise they base this assertion is simply beyond me. Many Pensioners, unemployed people, retrenched individuals and University students do have motor vehicles. It may not be a luxury Sedan but it is a road worthy vehicle. The aforementioned will never be able to afford etolling! In the very first instance, sanral and the department of transport should have exempted certain categories of people from paying toll fees;
3. OUTA’s website is extremely informative on this matter www.outa.co.za
4. The following was obtained from their website
“Who is OUTA?
OUTA stands for Opposition to Urban Tolling Alliance. It is an association of other bodies, largely involved in the motoring and transport industry, who share a common view about the wrongs of urban tolling. These bodies have joined together to tackle this matter through a formalized legal challenge, the details of which will be shared on this web site as and when the papers are lodged.
Interesting points to note
A. How may KM were improved? 185km
B. How many toll gantries were built? 49, average spacing is 185km/49=3.77km
C. How many lanes were added? Effectively 1 extra lane
D. Was this a new road? No – it was merely an upgrade and maintenance of existing road.
E. The cost of the road improvements? R20b
F. Will you pay VAT on the e-toll (tax on tax) Yes”

5. I reiterate we’ve have many failed projects in South Africa, we lost many millions on these failed projects. There’s no reason why etolling shouldn’t fail. It should fail and then we simply just move on as is customary in South Africa when a major project fails. We can always invite that Austrian company for supper or something like that. The department of transport should simply phone that company and tell them to write off the debt due to the global economic crisis.

[Citizen X]

1. Representations which are in actual fact misrepresentations: Public Servants are putting forward this misrepresentation: Why must the rest of South Africa pay for Gauteng roads? Yes, on first glance to the untrained eye this may indeed appear to be a valid argument! Problem with this proposition: There is intention(dolus) to roll out etolling to all provinces!!! Sanral and that Austrian company must simply realize that South Africans are not fools! Pinocchio, your nose is growing!(We want all the relevant information as to how etolling came about, who was paid what and when, how did this Austrian company get the contract, your true intentions with rolling etolling to other provinces and shady 'arms deal 'like transactions etc)They thought they’ll first roll it out in Gauteng and swiftly deal with Gauteng uprisings! The South African people have spoken : No to etolling!
2. The next misrepresentation is : who will pay that 32 billion? How and why is it a problem in current South African history to pay alternatively to loose money? It has never been a problem in the past to loose money i.e. The disgraceful pebble nuclear project. It failed, money was lost, we moved on! Etolling should also fail and will also move on just like we moved on with the pebble nuclear shocking shambles of a disgraceful failure.
3. I stand to be corrected on this, I’m not sure if the following have factual merit(I’m also aware that hearsay is exceptionally inadmissible!: I have heard people talking about the possibility of Austrian Nationals been given Law enforcement powers here in South Africa to police the etolling system! If this is the case, and again I state that I stand to be corrected, the next question is: Will you accept an Austrian National with police enforcement powers pulling off the road and intimidating you!
4. The way the Bill of Rights of the Constitution of 1996 works is as follows: The Constitution including the Bill of rights is the supreme law of our land and any law or conduct that does not comply with the Constitution will be declared invalid. Here’s the problem though, the Bill of rights is limited in terms of section 36 of the Constitution
5. Section 21 of the Constitution basically says that you have a right to freedom of movement, you also have the right to enter and reside anywhere in SA.
6. The limitation of these rights in section 36 provides as follows:
“36 Limitation of rights
(1) The rights in the Bill of Rights may be limited only in terms of law of general application to the extent that the limitation is reasonable and justifiable in an open and democratic society based on human dignity, equality and freedom, taking into account all relevant factors, including-
(a) the nature of the right;
(b) the importance of the purpose of the limitation; (c) the nature and extent of the limitation;
(d) the relation between the limitation and its purpose; and
(e) less restrictive means to achieve the purpose..”
7. I’m of the opinion that all legal avenues should be pursued and further that the right to freedom of movement will be infringed by etolling. I’m of the opinion that sanral will not be able to argue effectively that the limitation of the right to freedom of movement is reasonable and justifiable in an open and democratic society based on human dignity, equality and freedom. In fact the contrary holds true
8.Certain people such as pensioners, university students,unemployed people and people that earn less than R5000 per month should be completely exempted from any etolling whatsoever

sanrall and the department of transport

[Citizen X]

We must never loose sight of the fact that etolling has been averred as an investment/saving opportunity i.e. when you eventually pay for etolling on roads that you currently use but pay nothing for, you'll either make R8.84 for every rand you spend on etolling or you'll save R8.84 for every rand you spend. You'll also have the added benefit of extra time for the gym and extra time for your family. So, since we take this for face value, why doesn't that Austrian company simply buy our etolling investment portfolio's? Then they can make R8.84 for every rand they spend buying this portfolio from us or they'll save R8.84 for every rand they spend and they'll also have more time for the gym and their family!

Sanral and the department of transport

[Citizen X]

There’s still misleading representations that have no factual basis making the public rounds:
“Do not allow popular opinion to subvert what would otherwise be a good decision.”
The implication: Etolling is a good decision.The entire South African population, the people of South Africa are wrong???
“ Someone must pay that 32 billion.”
The question I’d like to pose to you is simply this: Will you trust the Government through the Department of Transport and Sanral with your bank account? Don’t answer until you’ve digested the following:
1. We were rated the 54^th most corrupt country out of 178 countries by “The 2010 Transparency International Corruption Perceptions Index.” I’m confident that since that 2010 report we must be closer to number 1! Do we get a prize if we the most corrupt country in the world?

2. Some South African highlights that should allow us to win that most corrupt country prize:

“Public Protector Thuli Madonsela will soon wrap up a probe into the contested R500-million lease of a Pretoria building by the South African Police Service (SAPS). The high-value deal, which involved the SAPS, the department of public works and a businessman linked to President Jacob Zuma, has been described as "shady" and "dodgy" in months gone by as it did not follow normal tender processes. Madonsela received an 11th-hour response to inquiries into the deal from police National Commissioner Bheki Cele on Sunday. Responses from the Treasury -- whose regulations were contravened -- the department of public works, and complainant Paul Hoffman from the South African Institute for Accountability were received earlier this year.
http://www.mg.co.za/article/2011-01-...gy-office-deal



ICT 'forged Kumba application'

Johannesburg - Imperial Crown Trading (ICT) allegedly got hold of Kumba’s application for mineral rights and forged parts of it over the long weekend extending from April 30 to May 4 last year.
The falsified documents were apparently submitted with ICT’s application for the very same mineral rights that Kumba had applied for, but Kumba’s application had failed.
The rights were awarded to ICT at the insistence of Jacinto Rocha, the then deputy director-general for the regulation of mineral resources, despite recommendations from all his senior officials that the application should be rejected.
ArcelorMittal South Africa (Amsa) wanted to pay R800m for ICT’s rights, and had concluded a black economic empowerment deal worth R9bn with all the parties involved, all of whom have strong ANC connections.
A total 50% of ICT belongs to Jagdish Parekh, a confidant and friend of President Jacob Zuma and his son Duduzane. Kumba’s court documents argue that:
- The prescribed application form was not included when ICT’s application for the mineral rights was lodged at the provisional office of the Kimberley Department of Mineral Resources (DMR) on May 4 last year;
- ICT’s application contains falsified copies of title deeds of farms on which mineral rights had been awarded, which had clearly been copied from Kumba's application;
- Prospecting rights awarded to ICT were on farms that were part of the Sishen property, but for which ICT had not applied. Kumba had in fact applied for mineral rights on this land, the remaining portion of the farm 468; and .........
http://www.miningmx.com/news/markets...y-fraud%20.htm





Zuma's son linked to Sishen firm

Duduzane Zuma (27) is, together with Jagdish Parekh, a director and shareholder at JIC Mining Services, a contractor mining company that mainly provides labour-broking services to mines. During the past two weeks Parekh has become a director of ICT and, according to him, owns 50% of this company. This means that Parekh now owns 10.7% of the mineral rights in the Sishen mine - the world's biggest iron-ore mine at Kathu in the Northern Cape.
http://www.fin24.com/Companies/Zumas...-firm-20100418





'Fraud could cripple SA'

"Behind every corrupt official, contract or tender there is a company involved in the process of corruption." This is according to Bart Henderson, president of the South African Institute of Corporate Fraud Management. Henderson said South Africans are becoming increasingly aware of how fraud is penetrating not only the public but also the private sector, and the crippling effect it has on service delivery and the economy.
http://www.fin24.com/Business/Fraud-...le-SA-20091029





AG names and shames state spendthrifts

Cape Town - The Auditor General's office on Wednesday named and shamed departments guilty of irregular expenditure in the last financial year, with defence being the worst offender. That department racked up more than R1bn in irregular expenditure, accounting for 43% of the government's total bill of irregular expenditure of just under R3.9bn in 2009/10. ...... Here the three worst offenders were the Road Traffic Management Corporation with R360m, the National Prosecuting Authority with R273m and the Property Management Trading Entity with R264m. The State Information Technology Agency accumulated R214m in irregular expenditure, and Cipro R95m. In both cases the full amount was attributed to flawed procurement.
http://fin24.com/Economy/AG-names-an...rifts-20101117





AG questions CCMA's R22m IT spend

The Auditor-General has cleared the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA) of fraud and corruption, but found the organisation spent millions on ICT procurement irregularly. The irregular expenditure was revealed by the AG's report to Parliament late last week, after it conducted an investigation into the CCMA at the Department of Labour's request.
Last October, the Labour Department referred the Commission to the AGs office, citing several concerns, including the appointment of service providers and the employment of personnel – including the risk and human resource managers – without proper processes being followed. The Auditor-General's report, completed last month and now tabled in Parliament, reveals the CCMA spent R23.6 million irregularly, because the proper procurement processes were not followed. The majority of this amount – approximately R22.85 million – was allocated to ICT expenditure.
http://www.itweb.co.za/index.php?opt...ticle&id=35907





Agency spent R106m on party

R100 000 for balloons, R60 000 for confetti and R90 000 for a headstone. These are some of the exorbitant payments made by the National Youth Development Agency – a government agency tasked with creating jobs for the youth – to politically connected businesspeople and artists for last December’s World Festival of Youth and Students.....
» A company owned by “kwaito king” Arthur Mafokate was paid R5.3 million for providing entertainment, including expensive balloons and confetti; » A company owned by Mafikozolo band manager Julius Mekwa received a contract worth almost R9 million for managing the opening and closing ceremonies; » Bitline SA, a company owned by ANC Youth League president Julius Malema’s well-known business associate Ali Boshielo, scored more than R1 million for providing bags, T-shirts and other paraphernalia; and
http://www.fin24.com/Economy/Agency-...party-20111009

All Expenses Paid

Businessman Panganathan "Timmy" Marimuthu, a close friend of suspended national police commissioner Bheki Cele, with a conviction for drug dealing , and his family were paid more than R1.6-million from the fund in less than two years. An extensive trail of documents shows that:
http://www.timeslive.co.za/sundaytimes/2012/04/22/all-expenses-paid"






ANC to bag R50m from Eskom deals

The ANC's investment arm Chancellor House will receive R50m over eight years in profit from the Eskom Medupi and Kusile power stations, Hitachi Power Africa said on Tuesday. "Chancellor House will only share in the profits of the local scope and it will not be billions... We are looking at about R50m over a period of eight years. That's the magnitude," said Hitachi Power Africa CEO Johannes Musel.
http://www.fin24.com/Economy/ANC-to-...deals-20100420





ANC's unpaid millions: Lawsuits just keep piling up

The company that held a major contract with the ANC for its January 8 celebration earlier this year says it is owed R10-million and the party is not paying. And subcontractors of the company that held the primary contract for the ANC's campaign ahead of last year's local government elections say they have not been paid in full. Documents in the Mail & Guardian's possession support this claim. Yet the ANC maintains that it lives within its means and that the only bill it has not paid is under discussion. This itself is in dispute, however. Details of the ANC's funding and the contracts it is involved in are hard to get. There is no obligation on political parties to disclose the source of donations or how much money they receive. In terms of contract disputes, the close links between the party and the government make for tight-lipped companies and individuals. "If you deal with government departments that give out business, just about everyone that makes a decision there is deployed from the ANC," said one source this week, after being pressed for information. "If I tell you things I'll be blacklisted. Maybe not on paper, but I won't be getting tenders, that's for sure."
http://mg.co.za/article/2012-03-23-ancs-unpaid-millions





ANCYL lands a lucrative contract

A printing company linked to the ANC Youth League (ANCYL) and partly owned by the league’s national executive committee member Ali Boshielo has landed a crucial printing contract with the Limpopo government. A letter from the Government Printing Works sent to Review Printers shows that the company was awarded the contract in March for “printing and supplying of general full-colour work in the Limpopo province for a period of one-year commencing April 1 2010 and terminating March 31 2011”. Documents in the possession of City Press show that the ANCYL’s investment vehicle – the South African Youth Development Trust – holds a stake of 30% in Review Printers.
http://www.citypress.co.za/SouthAfri...tract-20100502





Borehole tender shame

Official papers in City Press’s possession show that more than half of the 100 tenders, ranging in value from R8 000 to R499 000, were issued to a list of beneficiaries packed with local ANC cadres and activists.
Mopani district municipality mayor Joshua Matlou, an ally of Premier Cassel Mathale and ANC Youth League president Julius Malema, was subsequently elevated to the party’s regional chairpersonship unopposed. An ANC local leader who refused to be named said: “Those tenders were for the conference. That is why that boy (Matlou) was elected unopposed.” The beneficiaries, including Desmond Mahasha, branch chairperson Phetole Molapisane and Member of the Provincial Legislature Pharephare Mothupi, got their share of the tenders less than a month before the Mopani regional elective conference last September. This has stirred up allegations that taxpayers’ money was used to buy votes.
http://www.citypress.co.za/SouthAfrica/News/Borehole-tender-shame-20100627"

[Citizen X]

It’s common cause that there is a major difference between the billing system and meter readings. Imagine if the City Council had direct excess to your bank account! They would simply deduct whatever they believed you owed them, and that would be that!
Common denominator: The City Council is an organ of the State and the Department of Transport and it’s baby Sanral are organs of the State
Sanral and Department of Transport
YOU CAN TRUST US WITH YOUR BANK ACCOUNT

[Citizen X]

Electronic Toll Consortium(ETC) CEO: Salahdin Yacoubi and his attitude!
One politically connected company that will benefit from etolling is none other than: Tsebo Holdings.
This is a catering company so what expertise they have in roads is beyond me! This company is partly owned by Nozala Investments and Lereko. “Nozala Investments is headed by Salukazi Dakile-Hlongwane, a trustee of ANC front company Chancellor House. Lereko is owned by former environmental Minister valli Moosa and Chancellor House trustee Pop Molefe.”
Now, here’s where it gets interesting: “ A major beneficiary is Swedish company Kapsch TrafficCom, which owns 40% of the main contractor, Electronic Toll Consortium(ETC) whose CEO is none other than Salahdin Yacoubi. This company ETC was until 2000 owned by’ arms company SAAB, which paid bribes of more than R24 million to ensure that it was picked to supply Gripen Jets to SA in the ARMS deal.
Salahadin Yacoubi on these companies, “ How I source things is my decision. Firstly, I didn’t know about any links with the ANC and secondly I’m not interested. If you have problems because the owners are linked to this or that, I’m sorry. I’m a private company I can do that.”
I’m beginning to understand now why it’s so urgent to pay that 32 Billion!

Urgency to pay 32 billion. “ Someone must foot the Bill.” " we can't default on payment."

[Blurock]

The plot thickens!

A list of beneficiaries will obviously not be made public. Once the secrecy bill is passed, information such as this will not be open to the public who needs to be protected from the political scavengers.

I have always thought that tolls should be raised to pay for a specific road, bridge or infrastructure. The money raised would then be used for the maintenance of such a road. The ANC government obviously thinks differently; by privatising a road, they can now profit from the deal.

Sickening....