Sanral rapped over knuckles for misleading public

THE Advertising Standards Authority has found the South African National Roads Agency Limited (Sanral) misled the public with advertisements on the number of e-tags registered.

It also failed to substantiate how it calculated discounts that motorists would enjoy monthly after registering with the agency.

Sanral was ordered to withdraw the statistics and figures in their current format from their commercials.

Opposition to Urban Tolling Alliance (Outa) spokesman John Clarke said yesterday the ruling showed Sanral lacked transparency and could not be trusted.

"We regard this as a serious matter for a state-owned institution.

"Sanral is not simply purveying propaganda, but using taxpayers' money in desperate measures to broadcast factually incorrect information," Clarke said.

ýIn the one case, Outa and consumer Sheleen Long lodged a complaint against Sanral's radio commercial which thanked "... the people and organisations that have taken up 1.2-million e-tags for Gauteng e-roads".

They submitted there had been several requests for Sanral to provide proof of the 1.2-million e-tags but it had failed to do so.

ASA ruled Sanral had failed to substantiate its claims and that the claims were misleading.

ýIn the other case, a consumer identified as Mr Haywood lodged a complaint about how Sanral promoted its e-tags and the costs involved.

In its radio and print advertisements, Sanral said it tracked about 2.5-million vehicles and calculated if vehicles were fitted with e-tags, 82.83% of road users would pay less than R100 a month. This would range up to only 0.63% of motorists paying between R401 and the maximum fee of R450.

Using figures obtained from the Gautrain website, Haywood argued it would seem most of the more than 300000 motorists who commute from Pretoria to Johannesburg and vice versa would pass six gantries a day, resulting in them ultimately reaching their capped amount every month.

ASA ruled the figures used by Sanral were unsubstantiated and thus in breach of the advertising code.

The ruling was made on May 30 and effective upon Sanral's receiving it.

In reaction to the ruling, Sanral spokesman Vusi Mona said: "We are aware of the scrutiny our advertising is exposed to and as a result we continuously strive to provide information which we believe is truthful and accurate.

"Sanral has no intention to mislead the public. We take note of all conditions of the law and will continue to comply."