The unveiling of billboards condemning e-tolling in Gauteng by the Democratic Alliance (DA) was a destructive campaign, according to the ruling African National Congress (ANC).
HumanIPO reported yesterday the DA’s premier candidate for Gauteng Mmusi Maimane had launched new billboards in Gauteng, with the message: “A vote for the DA is a vote against e-tolls”, the second time such billboards have been unveiled.
“It is clear that the Democratic Alliance and (its) inexperienced candidate (Mmusi) Maimane do not have policies and issues that can convince voters,” ANC spokesman Dumisa Ntuli said in a statement.
“The DA uses e-tolling as a trump card to entice voters because they are divided on issues of leadership, equity and BBBEE (broad-based black economic empowerment).”
Ntuli said this such campaigning would not deter voters from voting for the ANC.
Last month three large billboards discrediting the ANC party over the controversial e-tolling system had appeared in Johannesburg, reading: “E-tolls. Proudly brought to you by the ANC”.
The DA subsequently claimed responsibility for the billboards, which were labelled as cowardly by transport minister Dipuo Peters.
Following Peters’ announcement earlier this week e-tolling will go live on December 3 after president Jacob Zuma signed the Transport and Related Matters Amendment Bill into law in September, the DA has launched more billboards criticising the controversial policy.
“These billboards along highways mark the start of an intensive campaign to mobilize Gauteng voters against the government that brought us e-tolls,” said Maimane.
“I will take information on the costs of travelling all major routes in Gauteng directly to the people as part of a mass mobilization campaign against e-tolls.”
Maimane said people cannot afford e-tolls, in spite of claims by the South African National Roads Agency Limited (SANRAL) to the contrary.
“Many people are refusing to buy e-tags. This is their prerogative and their right. It is important to send out a strong message to the ANC that people don’t want e-tolls,” he said, promising the DA would scrap the system if he was elected Gauteng premier.
“But, ultimately, the strongest message we can send out is at the ballot box. If people don’t want e-tolls, they must vote out the party that has unjustly forced this system on us.”
The DA is one of a number of groups continuing the campaign against e-tolling, with others including the Freedom Front Plus (FFP), the Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU), the Opposition to Urban Tolling Alliance, the QuadPara Association of South Africa (QASA) and civil rights organisation AfriForum.
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