Transport minister Fikile Mbalula and Gauteng premier David Makhura have lost the battle on the issue of e-tolls after finance minister Tito Mboweni refused to do away with the "user-pay principle".

Mboweni announced in his medium-term budget policy statement [mini-budget] that the Gauteng e-tolls are here to stay in their current form, which means road users are still expected to pay.

He said after considering several options to resolve the impasse over the Gauteng Freeway Improvement Project, the government decided to retain the user-pay principle.

“While there will be a further dispensation and value-added services, compliance will also be strengthened,” he said.