SpoQ wrote:

They need it to pay off the highway project or at least that's what they say...

If this is the case, what do I pay SARS tax money for? That money is supposed to be split among the various parts of Government for them to use as needed.

suzi88 wrote:

I think they doing it because they want everyone to use the Gautrain!

Then they must put up more stations in more areas. It doesn't help me to travel to Sandton and then catch a bus/taxi from that station to my place work, that would make it more expensive than driving on the highway even with these suggested surcharges.

Quite frankly I am sick and tired of Government and their excuses. Eskom is hiking rates left, right and centre for the next few years due to their own stuff-ups with budgets after being warned that there would be an energy crisis several years ago already.

Government hikes the petrol price several times a year to subsidise petrol in other African countries (which us as consumers are paying for) among other things. It's nonsense, plain and simple. We are citizens in a country that thinks they have the right to take our money as and when they choose for the most ridiculous reasons.

What people forget is that we live in a democracy. If enough people band together and take a stand to fight against these things, the Government has no choice but to listen to the majority and follow their wishes.

I have tried to organise petitions and things to this effect, everyone is quick to complain, but not every one is willing to take a stand and fight for what they believe in.

They don't really care at the end of the day. I will try and find the news 24 article and post a link.

EDIT: cant find the exact one now but here is one that just about says the same www.fin24.com/Economy/Gauteng-tolls-Suburbs-to-suffer-20080929

<sigh> I live in Jozi but work in
Pretoria.

Currently the cheapest concession ticket for next year will be R1080 PER MONTH for me to travel on the R21 every day.

The Gautrain is not an option as ANY trip from ORT Airport to ANY destination is R100 a single trip - even travelling per gautrain from ORT to Sandton return is R100 there and R100 back.

So if I was to use the Gautrain to Pretoria i would have to drive to Sandton, park there and then take a train ...

<sigh>

I stay by the Zambezi off-ramp in Pretoria. Between my wife and myself, I already pay R600 a month for toll fees and have been paying toll fees for many years already.
This will add an additional R1200 to my traveling as I work in Centurion and my wife at Route 21 office park. I have seen these collection points near Atterbury and right after the R21 off-ramp (If I'm not mistaken).

I also don't have the option to take the Gautrain.

This is not gonna be an easy one to swallow.