Chairperson, the department's budget responds to certain strategic objectives and is evidenced by huge investments in road and rail modes of transport, which receives R18 billion and R10 billion respectively. These are massive amounts. This augers well for economic growth and job creation and will stand the country in good stead for attracting investment and tourists. We as the ACDP support this investment, obviously on condition that these funds are properly spent.
We appreciate that Minister Martins has inherited a poisoned chalice with the South African National Roads Agency Limited, Sanral, e-tolling system and this is a conundrum, as previous speakers have referred to it. We as the ACDP are on record as opposing the e-tolling system.
We understand the complexities around the funding model. But should we not wait for the outcome of the Supreme Court of Appeal decision, which will bring finality in September? What happens if it's implemented now and the Supreme Court of Appeal sets it aside in September? How will we face them? We can see that the voice of the opposition is growing. We see that the religious sector is also opposed to the e-tolling debate. For example, the Dutch Reformed Church states that e-tolling "poses a moral and ethical dilemma". The ANC members of the Catholic Church would also bear in mind that they say it seems "hardly appropriate for the cost of implementing e- tolling to be nearly 74% of the total cost of the project".
They have put the alternative, as many of the other speakers have. Has increasing the fuel levy been considered? Was it reasonable to privatise existing public roads? What impact would the project have on the poor? They add that "anything that raises the cost of doing business at the core of the South African economy will have an impact on the cost of living and will disproportionally impact the poor". [Interjections.]
My colleague says we must be praying. I would like to remind him about a former queen of England, who had said she would rather face foreign armies than the prayers of John Knox. So, be careful when Christians do start praying. Let us be mindful that the religious sector is very opposed to e- tolling. That is just a friendly word of warning.
On the other hand, what if we are faced with massive civil disobedience? As a longstanding member of the Committee on Justice, I am fully aware that our courts are overstretched at the moment and cannot deal with tens of thousands of additional summonses. How are we going to deal with that? When I raised it in the Committee on Justice, the members and the department said that they had been approached to set up special courts, but clearly they are overstretched. Who is going to fund those additional courts? That is another issue and it is a serious concern.
Obviously, the ACDP welcomes the postponement of judgment in the Western Cape, which seems to also indicate that these decisions were taken a long time ago and were not properly thought through. Minister, this is something that you have inherited. You have my sympathy. Minister, I wish you everything of the best with this decision. Thank you. [Applause.]