OUTA disappointed at court ruling on N3 documents
The Organisation Undoing Tax Abuse says it's disappointed that their application to access information on a contract awarded to the N3 Toll Concession has been dismissed.
The N3TC manages the portion of the N3 highway between Heidelberg South in Gauteng and Cedara in KwaZulu-Natal.
OUTA's Advocate Stefanie Fick says while there have been quality upgrades on that stretch of the route, they can't overlook the excess amount paid in tolls by road users for the service.
"If it is indeed excessive the question is who benefits from the access, should it be the private company in SANRAL or should it be the public?
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"The court found that the public interest in the disclosure of the contract and confidential information N3TC does not out way does not out way the harm of N3TCs present and future of financial interest and disclosure with prejudice thing in their future commercial endeavours."
Fick argues when private companies do business with government, there should be transparency.
"Private companies doing business with government are allowed to make profit but ought not to be allowed to earn excessive profits.
"How can we then, as civil society determine this, if we are not allowed access to the information?''
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