Last month the Democratic Alliance said Gauteng Premier Nomvula Mokonyane had confirmed - in a written response to a question from the opposition party - that the second phase would be implemented.
Tolling has been on hold for the past two years as public opposition and legislative hurdles stymied its implementation. "There is a bit of a misunderstanding," Vadi said last week.
"Nobody said we are starting tomorrow with the second phase of the Gauteng Freeway Improvement Project (GFIP). When we present our annual performance plan we will be very clear about which roads will be upgraded as part of the routine work that is done in our department," Vadi said.
The province has a close working relationship with the Johannesburg Road Agency and the South African National Roads Agency (Sanral) and would do some roadworks in co-operation with these two agencies, he said.
"We plan to start tolling roads that are part of the first phase of the GFIP," Vadi said.
Earlier, Sanral spokesman Vusi Mona said that before the agency could start work on a possible second phase of the tolling programme in Gauteng, the province would need to transfer the road to Sanral after which the transport minister would have to proclaim the roads as toll roads.
Vadi said Gauteng had not approached Sanral or the Department of Transport for permission to the transfer the provincial roads to Sanral.
"As far as we know, those roads belong to the province, they have not been declared national roads," Vadi said.
"Discussions to transfer roads haven't started yet," Mona said.
The tolling of roads was halted in late 2011 by former transport minister Sbu Ndebele after widespread public protests led by the Congress of South African Trade Unions, which held national strikes objecting to the tolls. Various civil organisations embarked on a range of legal challenges.
Meanwhile, Vadi said a taxi industry summit would be held next month to discuss issues around the financial sustainability and future of the industry.
In the Western Cape, Sanral's plans for the R10bn N1/N2 Winelands toll road have been on ice for the past year and the City of Cape Town has again gone to court to prevent the tolling plans.
Last month, Sanral wrote to the City of Cape Town - as part of its agreement to communicate on the toll project - telling it that it was in the process of finalising agreements with preferred bidders for the project.
City officials saw this as a firm indication by Sanral to start the programme despite the legal review processes underway. The council is seeking an urgent interdict from the courts to halt any tolling plans.
Mona said that negotiating with the contractors could be a lengthy process and the talks did not mean the toll road works were about to begin.
Source: Business Day via I-Net Bridge
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