Breaking news this morning is that the head of Electronic Tolling Collection pty (ETC), the organisation which was set up to collect etolls, has resigned. According to Fin24, Salahdin Yacoubi stood down as CEO yesterday citing ‘personal reasons’, and his job will be immediately filled by Jamie Surkort.
His departure came as a surprise to industry watchers, including – according to Fin24 – the Opposition to Urban Tolling Alliance (OUTA). According to SANRAL, however, the changes at the top of ETC won’t make any difference to the timetable for etoll gantries to be switched on.
ETC is the controversial company which is partly owned by Austrian outfit Kapsch TraffiCom. One of the primary objections to etolls is that fees from South African road users will boost the profits of overseas companies.
Co-incidentally, roads have been closed in the centre of Johannesburg this morning to make way for an etoll protest by Julius Malema’s Economic Freedom Fighters.
(Via TechCentral)
