SANRAL clarifies 'writing off' R3-billion e-toll debt
The South African National Roads Agency says it will not be writing off the R3.6-billion in e-tolls debt over the 2017 financial year.
The agency's CFO, Inge Mulder says that amount in unpaid fees is currently being impaired.
"When you write off a certain amount - you issue a credit notice and the debtor does not owe you anymore. In terms of the international financial reporting standards, an impairment is determining whether there is a probability that the debt may not be collected.
"We are assessing the criteria that could lead to the debt not being recovered. For instance, if an account is below R500 - we've said the probability of us collecting the debt when the cost of collection is high is very low. We have raised those instances as an impairment," she says.
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Mulder says defaulters owing e-toll payments within the three-year period of December 2013 until December 2016 can still face legal action.
"Even if you assess to say that this debt could be impaired, you can still put a submission to court to say this must be prosecuted. No impairment takes away the right to either civilly or criminally claim against the debtor," she says.
Sanral submitted its Integrated Annual Report to the Parliament Portfolio Committee on Transport this week.
Aside from the impairment figure, the outstanding debt on e-tolls is R5.185 billion while R1 862 million has been collected during the financial year.