Thank you, Chairperson. Hon Minister, the budget is in line with government's massive strategic objective of socioeconomic development, premised upon massive investment in road, rail and public modes of transport, which receive R17,9 billion, R10,2 billion and R9,9 billion respectively. This the ACDP supports, as long as these funds are properly spent.
The department also needs to be commended on the reduced death rates on the roads over the Easter weekend, Minister. Well done! We should rejoice in every life saved. [Applause.]
However, the main debate today, of course, is related to the debacle around the e-tolling project. The ACDP shares the views of the previous speakers, but we do appreciate the Deputy Minister's expression of empathy, and I would have liked to have heard the end of his speech.
Opposition to the project is not so much over the price but the principle of tolling suburban routes. Lest we forget, tolls were introduced under two critical conditions: that only new national roads would be tolled, and alternative routes would always be available. Suburban roads will now be tolled, with people expected to pay tolls for roads that they have largely already paid for. This is on top of a 75 cents increase in the price of fuel last month, while this afternoon a 28 cents increase was announced.
It is significant that in 1991 the Supreme Court of Appeal ruled in favour of a very courageous Johannesburg City Council in an action brought by that council to interdict the then South African Roads Board from tolling the N13, known as the southern bypass, from Uncle Charlie's to the Rand Airport in the east. What is important is that the court granted the interdict because the audi alteram partem principle had not been applied. The council had not been given an opportunity to be heard as to the consequences of the proposed tolling, particularly on subsidiary alternative routes.
The ACDP believes that the current tolling project was yet again not preceded by a proper consultation process. Hon Minister, following public outrage and after the toll gantries had been erected, you quite correctly intervened and postponed the date and a much-belated consultation process was held. However, taxpayers were told that there was a R20-billion debt that could not be serviced unless they paid for tolls. Surely, the consultation process should have taken place before the debt was incurred? To date, it has been argued that the tolls were announced in 2008. Yes, most of us were fast asleep. We should have raised issues at that stage already. But it will, no doubt, be argued this very afternoon in court that the audi alteram partem principle has yet again not been complied with. Most definitely too little information was presented to allow for an informed decision on the tariffs, particularly the punitive R1,74 per kilometre rate for users without an e-tag.
Hon Minister, we are facing massive civil disobedience. As a long-standing member of the Justice committee, we know the justice sector is overburdened with work. How is it going to handle the hundreds of thousands of additional summonses? There must be an alternate solution. What is this possible solution?
The Special Investigating Unit has estimated that R25 billion to R30 billion per year is misappropriated. They are underfunded. Give them an extra billion rand; they will recover R5 billion to R10 billion per year. In so doing we will have that additional funding that we need for this. That is something I would request the Cabinet to suggest and to consider. Thank you, Chairperson.