The backlog on South Africa’s roads, which includes strengthening and regravelling of the roads, has reached USD $17.57bn. According to the CEO of South African National Roads Agency Limited (Sanral) Nazir Alli, this has gone up from USD $13.30 as of the year 2010. This backlog, however, does not include addition of new lanes and roads, periodic resurfacing and road upgrades.
He also noted that this amount was just an estimate, and his firm suspected that more money would be needed for renovations since not all provinces in the country are able to provide the information needed.
In addition to that, the country will be required to add a fuel levy of US$ 0.19 a litre to the fuel price which is currently carrying a levy of US$ 0.18 a litre in order to sustain current road network, even without including solving the backlog.
Alli noted that in order for his company to sustain the current network of renovation on roads, they would then require a levy of USD $0.12 per litre.
Alli also noted that he was against road upgrades using fuel levies although those opposing etolling have proposed use of fuel levy to cover costs for recent provincial road upgrades as opposed to paying of toll fees.
Earlier on, the government had indicated it would roll out infrastructure projects faster, including the massive US$847bn infrastructure programme.
