Pretoria – The South African government has officially drawn a line under one of the country’s most controversial road funding schemes after Cabinet approved the write-off of outstanding historical Gauteng Freeway Improvement Project (GFIP) e-toll debt.
Minister of Transport, Barbara Creecy, and Deputy Minister Mkhuleko Hlengwa welcomed the decision, describing it as a long-awaited step towards resolving the e-toll matter in an orderly and responsible manner.
The decision means motorists who still owe money for unpaid e-tolls will no longer be required to settle those debts, while all remaining legal disputes linked to the system will also be brought to an end.
According to the Department of Transport, the move is intended to provide certainty to road users, SANRAL and government while reducing the financial burden on motorists already facing rising transport costs.
“This brings much-needed relief to road users who are under pressure from high fuel costs and broader economic challenges,” the department said.
The GFIP was implemented by the South African National Roads Agency SOC Limited as a mechanism to fund major upgrades to Gauteng’s freeway network. The controversial e-toll system generated years of public resistance, legal challenges and widespread non-compliance from motorists.
Government officially shut down the e-toll scheme when the toll declarations were withdrawn on 11 April 2024.
What Cabinet’s Decision Means
Cabinet has now confirmed that:
- All outstanding and unpaid historical GFIP e-toll debt will be written off.
- SANRAL will stop pursuing motorists for unpaid historical e-toll accounts.
- Motorists who paid their e-tolls while the system was legally in force will not receive refunds.
- Government maintains that the charges collected before the withdrawal of the toll declarations were lawful at the time.
- The write-off forms part of government’s broader plan to bring finality to the e-toll issue.
While many motorists are expected to welcome the debt write-off, the decision that no refunds will be paid to those who complied with the system may remain a point of debate.
User-Pay Principle Remains
Despite the closure of the e-toll chapter, government stressed that the user-pay principle remains an important part of South Africa’s infrastructure funding strategy.
However, officials said future road funding models must be properly structured, legally sound, supported by clear policy certainty and broadly accepted by road users through consultation and agreement.
The decision effectively closes one of South Africa’s most contentious transport funding disputes and brings an end to a project that dominated public debate for more than a decade.
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