Extortion... anarchy, anyone?

Right now the South African public trusts its government about as far as they can throw president Jacob Zuma's Nkandla mansion.

Ever since the notion of open road tolling became more than just another of government's visions - solidified by an end-of-April implementation deadline - there has been public clamour by Gauteng motorists who feel they are being wronged.

Wronged, because e-tolling is another tax and citizens feel they already pay excessive taxes. Wronged, because "public consultation" on the issue turned out to be more exclusive and clandestine than "public". Wronged, because the SA National Roads Agency (Sanral) seems to think "transparency" is for overhead projectors. Wronged, because a largely foreign company was commissioned with implementing and operating the system. Wronged, because they are effectively being bullied into handing their banking details over to a profit-driven government-run company (using the threat of higher tariffs as ammo). Wronged, because of which parties potentially stand to gain financially from the system. And ultimately, wronged, because their hard-earned money has been drenched in corruption by the powers that be - on more than one occasion.

Although the furore died down when e-tolling was put on ice just before mid-year, it recently reared its ugly head again - perhaps with more ferocity than ever before - when transport minister Ben Martins announced Gautengers would most likely be given e-tolls for Christmas. Ungrateful bunch that they are, the gift was spurned by citizens as an unjust and extortionist move by the Department of Transport (DOT) and Sanral - essentially government.

But then government tries to redeem itself by garnishing the gift with a shiny bow and ribbon: a 30-day "public consultation" period on the new bargain tariffs gazetted last month. And a festive greeting card with bullet-listed (for ease of understanding) advantages of the e-toll system:

* Contributing towards a high-quality road network;

* Improved road safety;

* Less congestion;

* Decreased vehicle operating costs;

* User-pay principle creating a fair way of paying for road usage;

* And a partridge in a pear tree.

A gracious invitation was also extended to the public for written submissions to the DOT on e-tolls. Well, when the DOT said "on e-tolls", what it meant was "expressly on the new improved tariffs we have generously afforded you before going ahead with implementation regardless". This came to light at the three public consultations - held in Johannesburg and Pretoria - where riotous attendees were reminded to stick to the issue at hand: How much you will pay; not if you will pay.

The consultation period meets its end this week, just in time for a High Court review of e-tolls, petitioned by the Opposition to Urban Tolling Alliance (Outa), from 26 to 29 November.

Meanwhile, it has been alleged that strings are being pulled in Parliament to push certain transport laws and Bill amendments into enactment so that the e-tolling system can be implemented urgently - triggering a suspicion among many that the upcoming court case is nothing but a simulation by puppet masters to assuage opposition.

And it stands to reason - with the billions government has invested in the project - the downfall of e-tolls would represent a devastating financial (and mortifying PR) blow.

But the public is unsympathetic towards government's potential monetary loss and embarrassment - and tempers are reaching boiling point. Boiling point, in this instance, involves anarchy, as individuals and organisations threaten mass protest, vandalism, persecution of e-tag holders (heretofore known as "the arch-enemy") and even arson - if e-tolling is to go ahead.

For each of government's purported e-toll pros, opposition has put forward scores of cons. If we are to take the latter into account, the system is doomed to fail. It has been tagged by many (experts included) as financially unfeasible, irrational and even downright illegal.

In terms of admin alone, experts have suggested the system is pure folly. Outa's legal representation argued earlier this year that e-toll tariff collection costs would be as high as - if not in excess of - the cost of building the roads. According to Outa, if just 7% of road users are non-compliant, Sanral will have to issue 70 000 summonses a day.

Collection costs of up to R20 billion (equal to Sanral's debt following the Gauteng Freeway Improvement Project (GFIP), which e-tolls were devised to squash) were estimated, but of course that remains an estimate as long as the DOT and Sanral decline to divulge the true cost of associated fees.

It must be noted that, with Gauteng motorists naturally not being opposed to the improvement of their roads - the GFIP as such - an alternative has been repeatedly suggested, and repeatedly brushed-off as unfair and impracticable. That alternative is a higher fuel levy.

Experts suggest this option could fetch as much as R68 billion in a year, but Sanral argues it would be unreasonable (the irony could be cut with a knife) - and that a fuel levy would not be enough to fund the roads. So the agency maintains the "user pay" principle is the way to go.

There is no denying, however, that in truth the fact that the government has all but instituted the e-tolling process - having put the physical infrastructure in place and employed a host of staff - poses a mammoth problem for the state.

In a nut-shell, the whole e-tolling debacle is one big mess. Outa chairperson Wayne Duvenage has called the e-tolling system "a house of cards" that will inevitably come crashing down. At this stage, though, all indications are that government is desperate to save face and money - and will go ahead with the implementation of e-tolls, soon.

Sanral and the DOT are apparently not fazed by the unflagging public outcry. Alas, it seems government doesn't give a hoot for a toll-free GP.

I don't know how (short of a sudden switch from democracy to dictatorship) e-tolling will go down - that remains to be seen. It could actually turn out to be quite a show...

Cue government. Cue billions in government investment. Cue e-toll implementation. Cue irate citizens:

Government's personal pension fund investment in Sanral: R16 billion

National Treasury's contribution to the GFIP: R5.8 billion

Sanral's 185km freeway upgrade: R20 billion

Construction of the e-toll system: about R3 billion

The look on government's face when the whole thing goes up in smoke - literally - owing to an angry mob of millions of circumstantial arsonists: Priceless.