JOHANNESBURG - The Supreme Court of Appeal has dismissed a last-stage appeal from the Opposition To Urban Tolling Alliance (Outa) who was challenging the imminent implementation of e-Tolls in Gauteng.

Outa spokesman Wayne Duvenhage confirmed the court&39;s judgment.

Speaking to eNCA.com, Duvenhage said he was disappointed with the ruling, "but pleased with the judge&39;s decision to set aside the previous shocking judgment for Outa to pay government&39;s legal costs."

He said had that decision (to dismiss Outa&39;s application without costs) not been overturned, the ruling would have been "very bad for civil society".

"We want to sit down and unpack the judgment and we will hold a press conference on Thursday morning."

Duvenhage said the lobby group had 90 percent of their legal costs covered. "We have raised over R11.4-million and need to raise a further R1.5-million," he said.

"The e-Tolls issue doesn&39;t end now. We&39;ve had a huge response to our efforts. Outa will need to be reconstituted and then we will be able to take further e-Tolls issues onto a new platform."

On Monday, Transport Minister Dipuo Peters called a stunt pulled by the DA who erected billboards along Johannesburg&39;s highways next to e-toll gantries that blamed the ANC for the e-Tolls, the work of cowards.

At the beginning of October Peters said e-tolling would go live in November and that people should be willing to pay to use freeways.

Meanwhile on Wednesday, Sanral spokesman Vusi Mona reacted to the judgment saying: "Our position, as I’ve just said, is that we’ve done things according to the law." He told eNCA that e-Tolls would be implemented before the end of the year (listen to his full interview in the gallery above).

Also on Wednesday Agang SA leader Mamphela Ramphele said: "I believe that the issue of e-tolling, and the way it has been handled from the beginning until now. In terms of processes and in terms of explaining to citizens why we are going this route rather than simpler cheaper routes, is a matter that now is going to be put in the court of public opinion."

For full coverage on all e-toll stories, click here: The e-Toll saga