The civil fight to have e-tolling on Gauteng's roads scrapped continues today, as campaigners take to the streets of Johannesburg and Pretoria to support a protest march planned by the Congress of SA Trade Unions (Cosatu).
This follows a three-day court battle between the Opposition to Urban Tolling Alliance and state bodies instrumental in the e-toll process - the SA National Roads Agency (Sanral), Department of Transport (DOT) and National Treasury.
While the High Court in Pretoria reserved judgement on the future of open road tolling in Gauteng on Wednesday, dissenters remain defiant as they await the judge's decision - ostensibly set to be made public within the next few weeks.
Meanwhile, there have been threats of civil unrest, bordering on anarchy, with opposing parties threatening to "take down" gantries and cause civil unrest should e-tolls be implemented - which recent developments and government's standpoint suggest is likely.
Traffic in Gauteng's two main CBDs was expected to be disrupted for the greater part of today as protesters started gathering at Mary Fitzgerald Square in the Johannesburg suburb of Newtown, and Schubart Park (corner of Madiba and Sophie De Bruyn Streets) in Pretoria - at 9am and 9.30am respectively.
Johannesburg marchers will finish off at Gauteng premier Nomvula Mokonyane's office in Simmonds Street, while Pretoria protestors will march to DOT offices in Struben Street.
Call for calm
Just ahead of the protest, Zwelenzima Vavi, Cosatu's general secretary, called on protestors to "please be orderly" as the organisation's agenda was to unite against e-tolls, not to wage war.
"Today we forget about all other differences and unite against e-tolls," Vavi tweeted this morning. He also used the social media forum to set the record straight on reports that Cosatu had threatened to tear down e-toll infrastructure. "Cosatu has not taken a position to do to e-tolls infrastructure what govt has done to some of Lenasia residents ? not our policy to do so." (sic)
Business Unity SA (Busa) - SA's unified organisation for business - said in a pre-protest statement that it would condemn violence during Cosatu's protest action, and called on the union to "act within the ambit of the law".
"While Busa acknowledges that the planned protest by Cosatu against e-tolling is protected, Busa believes the rule of law should be respected and those involved should refrain from intimidation and violence. Busa condemns the demolition of the e-toll gantries as being outside the recognised rules of engagement for protest action."
The business group raised concerns over the violence that erupted during recent strikes, saying that "such violence is bad for the reputation of the country and its economic outlook".
Likewise, Outa chairperson Wayne Duvenage said, while the alliance acknowledges Cosatu's rights for the protected marches against e-tolling, it shares Busa's concerns. "We call on all participating in protest action to be responsible and refrain from any violence and damage to property."
Duvenage says objector groups should "demonstrate society's respect for property rights and the law".
Busa called on government to take strong action, and for Cosatu to be held fully accountable, should any violence erupt or property be damaged today.
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