The Gauteng Finance and Economic Development MEC Lebogang Maile has confirmed that the scrapping of e-tolls will increase the province’s debt by R3 billion.

He was addressing the media on the key priorities for the seventh administration and to give an update on the state of the province’s economy in Sandton, North of Johannesburg, on Sunday.

Maile says the province currently has a debt of R17 billion.

“The province currently sits with a debt obligation of R17 billion which is constituted of about R12.9 billion in historic debt plus R4.1 billion backlog maintenance and rehabilitation, excluding interest charges as a result of the cancellation of the e-tolls so with interest it takes it to just above 20 billion. Interest to service the debt will be higher as it will be measured against the capital debt at the time the loan to settle the debt is approved.”

Finance and Economic Development MEC Lebogang Maile tables budget: