COSATU continues anti-tolling campaign

The first mass protest for this year is scheduled for 11 February and will be followed by another protest on 25 February and the final one on 7 March.

Anti-tolling protests will be held in February and March.

Cosatu says it will continue to hold mass campaigns protesting against e-tolling.

The first is scheduled for 11 February and will be followed by another protest on 25 February and the final one on 7 March.

“COSATU in Gauteng has noted that e-tolls continue to be pushed by government. We have since called for its crapping as per the mandate of the 11th National Congress, Central Executive Committee, Provincial Executive Committee and other structures. We will continue to occupy the highways and a massive demonstration will continue starting in February 2013.”

While the trade federation continues to call for the scrapping of e-tolling, government however, has maintained that the user-pay principle has been accepted by Gauteng motorists. It has also dismissed Cosatu’s march saying that e-tolling will be introduced on provincial roads.

In October, government gazetted revised e-tolling tariffs. Light motor vehicles (class A2) with an e-tag can expect to pay 30c/km with the base rate for unregistered motorists set at 58c/km. Motorcycles with an e-tag can expect to pay 18c/km, while medium heavy vehicles will pay 75c/km.

Registered public transport operators and users will not pay a cent – a measure introduced to exempt the poor from paying.

Government has also proposed that toll fees for e-tag users be capped at R550 a month for light vehicles. Monthly toll caps for e-tag registered heavy vehicle users are also introduced

COSATU in Gauteng will be convening the Provincial ShopSteward Council on the 7 February in which the details of the actions will be presented for adoption and implementation.