​Staff Writer 
The Gauteng Provincial Government has welcomed the pronouncement by finance Minister Enoch Godongwana to scrap e-tolls.
In his Medium-term Budget Policy Statement (MTBPS) on 26 October 2022, in Parliament, Godongwana announced that government will absorb the e-tolls debt amounting to R47 billion currently sitting with South African National Roads Agency (SANRAL).
There will be a 70/30 split of the e-toll debt that is currently sitting at R47 billion. This will see the national government financing 70% of the debt, with the remaining 30% coming out of the Gauteng provincial budget.
Gauteng government will also cover the costs of maintaining the 201km of highways and any additional investments through the existing e-tolls or new toll plazas. 
This will effectively end SANRAL's involvement in the Gauteng Freeway Improvement Project (GFIP).
Since the e-tolling system was launched in 2013, it has been plagued with low collection rates and resistance from Gauteng motorists.
Premier Panyaza Lesufi expressed relief at the finalisation of the e-tolls matter.
"We believe this is an important victory as it brings great relief to the people of Gauteng who have had to bear the brunt of paying e-tolls for roads that serve a national purpose.
"There will be further engagements with SANRAL regarding the repurposing of the e-tolls infrastructure, which we believe can be of use in the crime-fighting strategy of the provincial government," added Premier Lesufi.
The provincial government will work closely with National Treasury to ensure that revenue streams are found to settle Gauteng's portion of the e-Tolls debt amounting to R14 billion.
"Whilst Gauteng Provincial Government will raise its own revenue to fund its obligations as announced by the Minister; we will work closely with National Treasury to ensure we find sustainable and alternative sources of revenue. 
"We will be convening an urgent meeting with the Minister of Finance to finalise some of the modalities relating to GPG's obligations," said Finance MEC Jacob Mamabolo.
Mamabolo said e-tolls were not part of the province's future and, therefore, not part of the provincial government's revenue-generating solutions. 
"In this regard, e-tolls are effectively and, with immediate effect, done away with," he said, adding that Gauteng residents are relieved of the burden of paying for e-tolls.
More details on this will be announced when Mamabolo presents the province's Medium Term Budget Policy Statement to the Gauteng Provincial Legislature on 24 November 2022.
Meanwhile, the matter of people who have already been paying for e-tolls is in the purview of SANRAL.