By Staff Writer
Government has reached an agreement to delink the Gauteng Freeway Improvement (GFIP) Scheme e-tolls from gantries on 11 April 2024.
 A meeting held on 27 March 2024, between the Ministers of Transport and Finance, Ms Sindisiwe Chikunga and Mr Enoch Godongwana as well as Gauteng Premier, Mr Panyaza Lesufi, an agreement was reached to delink the Gauteng Freeway Improvement Scheme e-tolls from gantries.
This effectively brings the urban e-tolling in Gauteng to an end. The meeting, however, decided the ring roads that were part of the scheme shall remain national roads.
 In the meeting, parties agreed that to put this decision into effect, the gazette amending the initial declarations of the Gauteng Freeway Network as tolled roads must be published on 28 March 2024.
 Parties agreed to enter into a Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) to formalize alternative funding solutions for the GFIP debt repayment and deal with the backlog of maintenance and rehabilitation costs.
 They also agreed the MoA would also regulate the financial and funding contribution towards the SANRAL liability in compliance with the policy objectives and institutional framework for road infrastructure management in South Africa.
 Parties were unanimous that terms needed to be set in black and white on the MoA for the Gauteng Province to contribute to the backlog of maintenance and rehabilitation costs.
 They also emphasized the fact that the government was already far advanced with its plans to repurpose the e-toll infrastructure to improve mobility, road safety, and combat crime.
Parties were unambiguous on the fact that the user-pay principle remains a government policy. They also committed to continually engage and work together to explore adequate and stable funding solutions for road construction, maintenance, and upgrade to support economic development.