BY KWANELE TSABEDZE
MBABANE – The Minister of Public Works and Transport Chief Ndlaluhlaza Ndwandwe yesterday presented the outcomes of the proposed Roads Authority – one of which is the establishment of toll gates in the country.
The minister revealed this when the senate was deliberating on the Roads Authority Bill of 2021 and its implications yesterday.
The minister revealed that the Roads Authority would make it easier for the monies which are collected for roads to be quickly put into use developing the country’s roads.
“There are certain monies which are collected by the nation. These monies will now go directly to a fund which will specifically for roads. These include the annual vehicle registration licences, some fuel tax levies, as well as some portion of border taxes.
“As you will recall, the senators have previously discussed the issue of toll gates. When the bill is passed and the authority exists, it will be tasked with setting up toll gates in ways which are appropriate in terms of world standards,” said the minister.
The Roads Authority Bill of 2021 seeks to establish an independent body to deal with the country’s roads and their development, as opposed to having the roads development mandate fully under the Ministry of Public Works and Transport.
Toll gates are not a novel idea in the Southern African region, as South Africa has about 74 of them. They collect fees (tolls) in public access roads to ensure that there are funds to service the roads based on how much they are used – as well as to recoup construction costs. The amount of the toll usually varies by vehicle type, weight, or number of axles, with freight trucks often charged higher rates than cars. In South Africa, toll gates collect between E5 and E82, depending on the toll gate location and type of vehicle being driven.
