THE Department of Transport gave in to public outcry - but only slightly, reducing the proposed toll tariffs for motorists on Gauteng's freeways to 58c a kilometre.

George Mahlalela, the department's director-general, announced that they had reduced the proposed toll fee from 66c a kilometre to 58c a kilometre for infrequent freeway users.

And although this may be bad news for Gauteng motorists, those in Durban and Cape Town can heave a sigh of relief that proposals made last year to toll freeways in those cities are not currently under discussion.

Last year, the SA National Roads Agency (Sanral) announced that it was looking at tolling the N1-N2 approach and the R300 ring-road in Cape Town, and roads around Durban's new Dube Trade Port.

But despite significant freeway improvements in those cities, Transport Department spokesperson San Monareng said the Freeway improvement projects in Gauteng and the other provinces had been "budgeted for in different ways".

He said the Gauteng freeway improvement project was begun years ago and "there was no money in the fiscus" to pay for it at the time.

When Transport Minister Sbu Ndebele announced in February that he would implement the 66c a kilometre tariff Sanral asked for, it sparked a public outcry.

Gauteng premier Nomvula Mokonyane then had to intervene, asking for the toll system to be suspended so that the public could be properly consulted.

Mahlalela said discounts would be given to those who use the tolled roads frequently, including:

• A reduction from 30c a kilometre to 24c a kilometre for motorcycles;
• From 49c a kilometre to 40c a kilometre for frequent freeway users in passenger cars;
• Taxi tolls have been cut from 16,5c a kilometre to 11c a kilometre; and
• Those for buses have been reduced from 50c a kilometre to 36,3c a kilometre.

He said medium-sized vehicles would pay R1 a kilometre should the new fees be approved instead of R1,49 a kilometre, and large trucks would pay R2 instead of R2,97.

Mahlalela also announced that the toll fees would increase every year and that an independent regulatory body would be established to regulate this.

But tempers flared after the revised toll fees were announced, with Business Unity South Africa (Busa) and commuter organisations arguing that it would have a knock-on effect on the cost of doing business and travelling around the province.

Organisations which were part of the consultation process, including Busa, AfriForum, the Road Freight Association and the Southern African Vehicle Rental and Leasing Association, said that their input was ignored, and that they would present their research directly to Ndebele.