The backlog on South Africa’s road network has reached R197-billion, up from R149-billion in 2010, says South African National Roads Agency Limited (Sanral) CEO Nazir Alli.

This backlog included the strengthening and regravelling of roads, and excluded periodic resurfacing, upgrades, the addition of new lanes and new roads.

“This is an estimate, as not all the provinces can provide us with the information we require. We suspect the situation is worse,” says Alli.

To close the funding gap, a fuel levy of R2.15 a litre of fuel would need to be added the fuel price, which already carries a more than R2 levy a litre.

To sustain the current network, with no reference to the backlog, will require an additional R1.35/l levy, says Alli.

“The levy will, of course, need to keep up with inflation.”

Many of the opponents to etolling, as can be found on Gauteng’s freeways, propose the introduction of a fuel levy to cover the costs of the recent provincial network upgrade, rather than paying toll fees.

Alli says he is opposed to the use of fuel levies to pay for road upgrades.

“Who wants to pay fuel levies this high? Is it sustainable?”

* Alli spoke at the Transport Forum, held in Johannesburg last week.