'Special toll' for trucks

SANRAL: NEW PLAN DESPITE FACING BUDGET CUTS OF ABOUT R5BN THIS YEAR

- Roy Cokayne

WORKING TOGETHER. Transnet is said to be collaborating with Sanral to shift freight from road to rail, with progress reported as positive.

(Picture: AdobeStock)

The South African National Roads Agency (Sanral) is considering introducing “special toll roads” for heavy freight vehicles deemed too damaging to certain parts of the network.

Board chair Themba Mhambi told parliament's select committee on public infrastructure and the minister in the Presidency the agency does not want ordinary road users to bear the brunt of the proposal.

“Indeed, we do not want ordinary members of the public to suffer as a result thereof, so our focus is really going to be on freight traffic that ordinarily should not be on those roads,” he said.

Mhambi also confirmed Sanral's budget has been cut by about R8 billion this financial year.

Sanral chief financial officer Pretty Makukule said the roads agency faced budget cuts of about R5 billion this year, then received another letter from the department of transport last week about further cuts “for the very same budget of about R1.9 billion”.

Sanral management is discussing these cuts and analysing its projects, including the different phases, and is planning “to embark on a serious reprioritisation exercise to ensure that it doesn't affect our projects severely”, Makukule said.

Mhambi said Sanral management indicated the current reduction in its budget of about R8 billion by National Treasury could impact the agency's performance and poses a major challenge to fulfilling its obligations.