Abstract
This dissertation investigates the effects of stakeholders on the e-tolling project implemented by the South African National Roads Agency SOC Limited (SANRAL) in Gauteng. The Gauteng Freeway Improvement Project (GFIP) is the first of its kind in Africa. It is an open road tolling project initiated partly because of the need to change the existing road funding model, which would ensure the sustainability of road maintenance and improvement. However, since the launch of the project in December 2013, a series of expression opinions by the e-toll project stakeholders have followed. The research involves an extensive literature review of tolling across the world, stakeholders in the government projects and the influence of media on people. In a democratic government, the multiple opinions in a political environment can positively or negatively influence the willingness of citizens to comply with user-pay principle projects. Organisations that implement tolling projects should be aware of the impact stakeholders can have on the project trajectory (Freeman et al., 2010). Using data from the e-toll system and online news websites, this research aims to find out if there exists a relationship between the e-toll project stakeholder expression of opinion and willingness of users to pay. The e-toll user payment and stakeholder activities data are analysed to identify trends using graphing tools. The study found that there is a relationship between stakeholders’ expression of opinion on e-toll and the willingness of users to pay. But only government or SANRAL influenced the willingness of users to pay e-toll. Stakeholders like the DA and OUTA do not influence the willingness of users to pay e-toll
M.Ing. (Engineering Management)