E-toll protest this month

There will be a protest against the controversial e-tolling system on Gauteng highways this month.

The Freedom Front Plus (FFP) says it is liaising with the traffic authorities in terms of setting an exact date, but the protest will definitely take place this month.

FFP parliamentary spokesperson Anton Alberts says there will be a convoy of caravans, cars and motorcycles from various clubs, and this will happen on the e-toll highways between Johannesburg, Pretoria and Ekurhuleni. “We are meeting with the metro authorities tomorrow to set a date.”

The FFP initially planned toll protest action for 28 March, but was stopped by the Johannesburg Metro Police. It says it immediately started planning a larger protest action. “The FF Plus started receiving numerous requests from people and organisations who had indicated that they want to participate in any future protest actions. It is encouraging to see that so many people and organisations are not scared to express their opposition to the Gauteng toll system, which actually in essence is an immoral tax,” says Alberts.

The mail adds that large trucking and logistics companies are planning to block off all major intersections around Gauteng for the day, creating hours of traffic backlogs. “This they hope, will show the government that they cannot just do what they like and that the true power of this country does not lie in their hands,” says the e-mail.

It adds that the major interchanges that will be affected are Flying Saucer, Brakfontein, Proefplaas, Gilloolys, Rietfontein, Airpiort, Buccleuch, Reading, Eland, Crown, and Geldenhuys.

Despite the mentioned inclusion of trucking and logistics companies, the Road Freight Association (RFA) says it has not organised the mass backlog of interchanges on the Gauteng freeway network.

“The association has been unsuccessful in determining the origin of the messages circulating through various electronic media and has also noted that its members have not been involved in, or are intending to, block routes in Gauteng. Should such an action be envisaged, the association would timeously inform the general public and related affected role players.”

The RFA says, however, that the road freight industry has voiced its concerns over the proposed e-toll programme due to start on 30 April. “There are still serious concerns relating to the implementation of these tolls, as well as a myriad of other factors including registration, collection and dispute processes, and the basic dissatisfaction regarding the ratio between cost to collect, debt servicing, maintenance and operational issues as portions of the toll to be levied.”

On 7 March, the Congress of SA Trade Unions (Cosatu) held a nation-wide march against e-tolling and labour broking.

Cosatu general secretary Zwelinzima Vavi says e-tolling will add to the burdens of the poor; perpetuate exclusion; cannot exist while there is no viable public transport alternative; and represents a form of privatisation.

“While we acknowledge protest as a right, the ANC is of the view that the concerns raised by Cosatu on the negative impact of tolling of roads on people who earn less is over-exaggerated, especially after government intervention on the matter,” said the ruling party at the time.