Minister of Transport Fikile Mbalula has announced the extension of the consultation process on Gauteng e-tolls by two weeks.
Mbalula had committed to submitting a report to President Cyril Ramaphosa on the matter by 31 August.
However, a statement from the department of transport said key stakeholders have made a request to make representations.
The stakeholder engagement process…seeks to arrive at a determination that is in the best interest of the economy, while ensuring that the poor are not negatively affected.
Fikile Mbalula
The minister added that the extension would allow for thorough consultations with civil society, labour, and business organisations.
Ramaphosa’s mandate
Ramaphosa mandated Mbalula, Gauteng Premier David Makhura, and Finance Minister Tito Mboweni to submit a report on e-tolls impasse and suggest a way forward.
The African National Congress (ANC) in Gauteng is adamant that the e-tolls must be scrapped.
Civil society organisations such as Organisation Undoing Tax Abuse (OUTA) have also spoken out against e-tolls.
However, Mboweni has always insisted that the principle of “user pays” must be upheld to avert a potential credit ratings downgrade.
Earlier this week, Mbalula met OUTA and Automobile Association (AA) and held what he described as an “encouraging” engagement.