Pretoria: Government has welcomed the Constitutional Court’s ruling on the appeal of the order made by the North Gauteng High Court on the implementation of e-tolling on the Gauteng highways.

The Constitutional Court on Thursday set aside an interim order preventing the Gauteng Freeway Improvement Project from being implemented.

George Mahlalela, Director-General in the Department of Transport, said the ruling reaffirmed government’s conviction that the North Pretoria High Court had erred in its judgement which interferes with policy making, a responsibility of the Executive.

He said government respected the right of any member of the public to approach the courts to review its decisions and operations within the country’s legal framework.

Government remains convinced about the appropriateness of the Gauteng Freeway Improvement Project, with the user-pay principle, as part of our country’s investment in road infrastructure and our collective drive to grow the economy, he said.

“The development of a country’s road infrastructure plays a critical role in building its economy and sustaining its growth by facilitating the movement of goods and services across the country.”

Mahlalela said government would study the judgment and make an announcement on the way forward soon.