Faizel Patel, Radio Islam News, 2014-05-19

It is not compulsory to have an e-tag and police cannot stop you for not having one.

That’s according to The SA National Roads Agency Limited (SANRAL) who Monday said that having an e-tag was optional and road users had not been stopped by police for not having one.

Sanral spokesperson Vusi Mona said in a statement: “Sanral is not working with the Johannesburg metro police department to check whether road users are e-tagged or not.

“In fact, acquiring an e-tag is optional and no road user should be stopped for not having an e-tag.”

Mona was reacting to motorists who phoned a radio station and claimed they had been stopped by police at the weekend to check if they had e-tags.

“We categorically deny that there is any partnership with the metro police on this,” he said.

“No vehicles on any road are being checked to see whether they are e-tag registered… Sanral urges any road user who has been stopped purportedly to check if they have an e-tag to contact the company.”

JMPD spokesperson Wayne Minnaar said that if these incidents did in fact occur, it was not the officers of the department making checks.

“There appears to be confusion here, where people have misunderstood these people to be Metro police. We do not enforce e-tags, that is a function of Sanral. These were not Metro police,” said Minnar”

“Getting e-tagged makes it possible for the road user to get a 48 percent discount and to have their monthly bill capped, among other benefits, but is not compulsory, said Mona”

Mona put the alleged incidents to “people who are doing this illegally” in Sanral’s name or “urban legends now gaining a life of its own”.

E-tags are for electronic tolling in Gauteng, which became effective in December last year.

(Twitter: @Faizie143)