Sanral's decision may be a genuine attempt to deal with a cul-de-sac. The decision by credit bureaus not to blacklist e-toll defaulters seems to have thrown a spanner in the works. Denying people the ability to get credit was going to be an effective instrument in getting them to toe the line.

The decision by the SA National Roads Agency (Sanral) to suspend all action against e-toll defaulters and not to issue new summonses has dealt the project a huge blow and could precipitate its demise. It may have finally dawned on the architects of this silly scheme that their baby was stillborn. It was ill-considered and sneaked on an unsuspecting public. The public was quick to smell a rat, though. The rebellious spirit that saw off apartheid soon took hold. Should the project finally collapse, it would constitute the most stunning act of civil disobedience undertaken since the dawn of democracy. The government would hopefully have learnt never to take the public for granted again, especially on matters that touch their pockets. Sanral's decision may be a genuine attempt to deal with a cul-de-sac. The decision by credit bureaus not to blacklist e-toll defaulters seems to have thrown a spanner in the works. Denying people the ability to get credit was going to be an effective instr...

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