In a statement issued today the CEO of SACCI, Mr. Neren Rau, said:

QUOTE:

The South African Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SACCI) acknowledges the decision by THE Constitutional Court on SANRAL’s Gauteng Freeway Improvement Project (GFIP). South Africa is a constitutional state where the court has to balance the rights of service providers and end road-users. This does not mean that negotiations and the interaction between SANRAL and the South African business community will end suddenly; the policy design on large infrastructure is a dynamic and ongoing process. SACCI trusts that the events thus far will inspire government to seek an equitable solution to the GFIP funding challenge.

 SACCI does remain concerned about the impact on the cost to business from the e-toll and the proportion of the revenue that will go toward a seemingly ineffectual collection method. The quality of a roadway that is relatively expensive is also of concern; the highways included in the GFIP continue to experience a high incidence of traffic deadlock. Before a road user is charged to use the GFIP, the facilities must be in place to ensure that users receive a full value service. The GFIP must therefore be economically feasible so that the benefits of using the tolled road exceed the costs.

 SACCI is currently finalizing a position paper on infrastructure financing which would serve to inform current and future policy on the revenue and financing design of large projects like the GFIP. The SACCI Annual Convention on the 4^th and 5^th of October 2012 will discuss the future of South Africa’s infrastructure expansion and the best way to coordinate business and government resources (see sacci.org.za for more details).

 UNQUOTE

Contacts:

Neren Rau                                                                                          Peggy Drodskie

CEO                                                                                                        COO

011 446 3800                                                                                       011 446 3800