The Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU) in Gauteng is set to continue protest action against the government’s implementation of e-tolling on the province’s freeways.
HumanIPO reported on Friday the Opposition to Urban Tolling Alliance (OUTA) had been given the green light by the North Gauteng High Court to continue its fight against the controversial e-tolling by taking it to the Supreme Court.
It would seem OUTA’s recent success has encouraged South Africa’s largest trade union to take to the streets in protest again.
“COSATU in Gauteng has noted that e-tolls continue to be pushed by government. We have since called for its crapping [sic] as per the mandate of the 11th National Congress, Central Executive Committee, Provincial Executive Committee and other structures,” it said in a statement today.
“We will continue to occupy the highways and a massive demonstration will continue in February 2013,” COSATU added. The three dates for Cosatu’s anti-e-toll campaign are set for February 11, February 25 and March 7.
Dumisani Dakile, COSATU’s Provincial Secretary for Gauteng, told reporters in Johannesburg the union plans to make the protest a “national act” by carrying it out in the other provinces.
Dakile added: “There must be a stayaway on that day. The country must come to a standstill,” and said further that last year’s protests were “a taste of what is to come… Even if it means that there must be action every week… Until government listens to us we are prepared to do so.”
