The Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU) has warned it is planning a total shutdown of highways as it protests against e-tolling.
Dumisani Dakile, provincial secretary for COSATU, told SABC News that previous protest marches on the highways allowed for some lanes to be unobstructed for vehicles to pass. The new protest marches will not allow this.
COSATU said it is planning the first march for May 24 in Johannesburg and the second march in Ekurhuleni for May 31.
May 24’s march will affect the N1, M1, N12 and M2 routes while the march on May 31 will affect the N12, N3 and R21.
HumanIPO reported this week the Western Cape High Court halted the South African National Roads Agency Limited’s (SANRAL) plans to begin the N1 and N2 Winelands Toll Highway Project after an application by the City of Cape Town.
The Opposition to Urban Tolling Alliance (OUTA) said it “relishes” the City of Cape Town’s victory over SANRAL.
“In the Gauteng e-tolling case, SANRAL claimed that the cost of tolling was known before the decision to embark on the Gauteng Freeway Improvement Project was taken. Yet in the Cape, SANRAL’s counsel claimed the opposite, saying that tolling costs could couldn’t be determined until the decision to build the roads was taken,” said Wayne Duvenage, chairman of OUTA.
“Contradictions aside, we are amazed that SANRAL was prepared to build the N1.N2 Winelands project without knowing what it would cost the road user.”
