Organisation Undoing Tax Abuse (Outa) chairperson Wayne Duvenage told News24 that it had notified the SA Roads Agency Limited (Sanral) of its intention to defend the clients.

"Outa’s lawyers have filed notices of intention to defend these matters, on behalf of our members, with the North Gauteng High Court and a trial of this nature could possibly take years to finalise," he said.

Duvenage said Outa expect thousands more will receive summonses from Sanral in the coming months.

Duvenage said in an earlier statement: "It is Outa’s opinion that the South African government, through Sanral, have instituted the biggest case of state coercion and victimisation against its citizens in our new democracy.

"This action by Santal will further anger the Gauteng motorists, and just as we have seen over the past three years, the public will continue to remain resilient in the defence of their rights on this issue.

"To date, several Outa members have received high court summonses for amounts ranging between R400 000 and R8m."

Duvenage said Outa was prepared for the legal battle.

He said Outa has also put put its guidelines to launch a defence challenge, should the public be summonsed and wish to defend themselves, or alternatively, to have Outa assist them.

"We will prove why and how Sanral have run roughshod over the public’s constitutional rights and other legal requirements when declaring Gauteng’s freeways as tolled roads. In short, it is not unlawful to not pay for e-tolls."

-News24.com