OUTA READY TO TAKE ON AARTO LICENCES ISSUE

The Organisation Undoing Tax Abuse (Outa) is set to challenge the government’s proposed regulations to the Administrative Adjudication of Road Traffic Offences (Aarto) Amendment Act that will prevent motorists with e-toll debts from renewing their car licences, says a report in The Sunday Independent.

The organisation said it has submitted its comments on the proposed regulations, adding that it was ready to challenge the matter in court if Minister of Transport Fikile Mbalula does not ‘go back to the drawing board’.

‘Our legal team studied the proposed regulations, and it is clear that this act will change very little when it comes to road safety. It is Outa’s informed view that the intention of the legislation and the regulations is to make money and not protect road users,’ says Andrea Korff, senior legal project manager at Outa.

Department of Transport spokesperson Ayanda Allie-Paine said the department would not be commenting on the e-tolls, adding they were awaiting Cabinet’s announcement on the matter. Lwando Mahlasela, a spokesperson for Sanral, said the agency would not be able to respond until Mbalula makes a ‘public pronouncement’ on the e-toll matter.