First e-tolls case in court

Johannesburg - A Randburg man is believed to be the first person to appear in court for refusing to pay e-tolls, Beeld reported on Wednesday.

According to the court papers, Bulgarian Dr Stoyan Hristov Stoychev drove his Hyundai i30 without one of its number plates, changed the "C" on the number plate to an "O", and swapped two of the numbers.

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But, a Ford Bantam bakkie with the same number plate was a registered e-toll user.

Beeld reported that it was the first such prosecution since e-tolls started on December 3, 2013.

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Stoychev appeared in the Pretoria Magistrate's Court on Tuesday on 1907 charges - of which 903 are for alleged fraud of R15 000 for the use of falsified plates.

The rest are for alleged transgressions of the National Road Traffic Act and the SA National Roads Agency Limited and National Roads Act.

He allegedly secured the number plates with cable ties for easy removal, refused to pay toll fees, drove without number plates, changed his number plate, and did not display his licence disc properly.

Traffic officials lay in wait for him on the N1 freeway in Centurion on October 2 and nabbed him.

He is on bail of R10 000.

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