Voorsitter, hierdie departement is in gebreke om 'n holistiese, nasionaal gentegreerde vervoerbeleid te skep waarvolgens die nodige infrastruktuur vir ekonomiese groei geskep kan word. In plaas hiervan word begroot vir enorme projekte wat eerder deel is van 'n laslapbeleid soos die Transnet Nasionale Infrastruktuur Plan.
Die Gauteng e-tolstelsel is deel van hierdie probleem. Hierdie stelsel is niks anders nie as 'n belastingkanker wat die ekonomie van Gauteng en gevolglik die res van die land gaan doodwurg. Dis 'n elitistiese stelsel wat die armes gaan dwing om op te gee om te werk of werk te soek vanwe vervoerbeperkings. Dit gaan die pryse van kos opstoot. Dit gaan veroorsaak dat firmas werksgeleenthede beperk. In kort: Dit gaan 'n enorme gemors veroorsaak. Daarom moet die Minister asseblief luister na diegene wat wel alternatiewe oplossings bied tot hierdie saak.
Daarby is die onveiligheid op Suid-Afrika se paaie toe te skryf aan uiters gebrekkige polisiring. Talle verkeersbeamptes is swak opgelei, en in Gauteng gebruik die verkeersdepartement Aarto, die Wet op Administratiewe Beregting van Verkeersoortredings, Wet 46 van 1998, bloot om geld te maak uit 'n publiek wat geboelie word om onwettige boetes te betaal. Aarto het in alle opsigte gefaal en moet opgeskort word totdat die vermo bestaan om dit wel behoorlik te implementeer. Daarom kan die VF Plus nie hierdie begrotingspos steun nie. Dankie. (Translation of Afrikaans speech follows.)
[Adv A D ALBERTS: Chairperson, this department is in default of developing a holistic, nationally integrated transport policy according to which the infrastructure needed for economic growth can be created. Instead they are budgeting for enormous projects which more likely form part of a patchwork policy such as the Transnet National Infrastructure Plan.
The Gauteng e-tolling system is part of this problem. This system is nothing but a taxation cancer that is going to throttle the economy of Gauteng, and as a result the rest of the country, to death. It is an elitist system that will force the poor to give up work or looking for work because of restrictions on transportation. It will push up food price. This will cause companies to restrict job opportunities. In short: It will cause a big mess. That is why the Minister should please listen to those who are offering alternative solutions to this issue.
In addition, the lack of safety on South Africa's roads can be attributed to extremely poor policing. Many traffic officials are poorly trained, and in Gauteng the traffic department is using Aarto, the Administrative Adjudication of Traffic Offences Act, Act 46 of 1998, simply to make money from a public that is being bullied into paying illegal fines. Aarto has failed in all respects and should be suspended until the capacity to implement it properly is in place. That is why the FF Plus cannot support this Vote. Thank you.]