Chairperson, the shocking real reasons behind the government's insistence on ensuring that the Gauteng e-toll project succeeds were revealed in a weekend newspaper. It was reported that the Public Investment Corporation had purchased South African National Roads Agency Limited bonds worth R17 billion and, further, that 89% of this purchase was made using money from the Government Employees Pension Fund scheme. Information such as this should have been made available to the Standing Committee on Appropriations during the briefing on the additional R5,75 billion for the Department of Transport as well as to Parliament during the debate on this Bill. One wonders why this was not done.
It is now very clear that there are huge economic issues at stake. If the tolling project fails, government will not only have to bail out Sanral but will also have to bail out the public servants' pension fund.
Minister, bail out Gauteng and remember, KwaZulu-Natal is on the way, for there is huge opposition to additional tolls in the Durban area to compensate for the construction of the Wild Coast road.
Perhaps someone from the executive can also comment on media reports yesterday that, and I quote:
A well-placed senior government source was quoted as saying: 'Plans for new toll roads around Cape Town, KZN and Gauteng were set to be shelved.'