No plans for motorists to pay for Gautrain rail extensions, says CEO

JOHANNESBURG – There is growing concern over ongoing plans to expand the Gautrain, which would likely lead to motorists having to shell out money through taxes to fund the billion-rand project.

Earlier this week, the executive director of the Gautrain Management Agency, William Dachs, said motorists were not paying their fair share of taxes and warned that the failure of the electronic toll system had perpetuated the problem.

The Gautrain is considering various financing models, which could include general tax increases, fuel taxes and fuel levies for the expansion of its network by 150 kilometers to reach Soweto, Lanseria and Mamelodi.

But Wayne Duvenage of the Undoing Tax Abuse Organization said this was simply not an option.

“The motorists of this country are overloaded. When you put in the fuel taxes, the vehicle license fees that have increased in recent years, when you look at the VAT you pay on vehicles and import duties, the problem is that we don’t necessarily want to use roads. vehicles, but we have no alternatives. “

Meanwhile, Howard Demvovski of the South African Justice Project said the proposal was ridiculous.

“I think it is time for the CEO of Gautrain and everyone else involved to realize that it is a big elephant and turn it into a profitable business that offers adequate service or shut it down.”

Dachs has denied that motorists have to pay the bill for the billions of rand project expansion.

He said Gautrain was considering various financing models, but making motorists pay was not one of them.

“I can understand why they misunderstood me. But we can’t just let car use get out of control, there has to be taxes. But there is no plan to make motorists pay for rail extensions, Gautrain or otherwise.”

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