The Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU) said today they were growing impatient with authorities thwarting their protests plans and will continue to fight against e-tolling.
“What they are doing is trying to provoke us… the patience is running out. If they want another Marikana we will give it to them on a silver platter,” the Sowetan Live quoted Dumisani Dakile, COSATU’s Gauteng provincial secretary, as saying.
Dakile was referring to the unfortunate incident in the Marikana area (near Rustenburg) where the South African Police Service (SAPS) shot dead 34 miners during what was dubbed a “wildcat strike” in August last year.
HumanIPO reported earlier today COSATU is considering taking a magistrate’s court decision to halt their plans to protest e-tolling in Johannesburg to the High Court.
Dakile was addressing a group of protesters outside COSATU’s head office in Braamfontein, Johannesburg. The group reportedly consisted of the Treatment Action Campaign, the Southern African Catholic Bishops Conference, and Bikers Against E-tolls.
According to Dakile the Johannesburg metro police demanded a ZAR2 million (US$209,000) payment upfront in order for the protest to commence.
“We have never paid money in order to exercise our constitutional right. We are not prepared to pay even half a cent… Let them go to hell,” said Dakile.
However the metro police denied it was ZAR2 million. “It was ZAR200,000 (US$21,000 approximately), not ZAR2 million,” Times Live quoted Wayne Minnaar, chief superintendent, as saying.
According to Dakile the metro police intended on using violence to stop the protest in a sworn statement. “We have had many marches, peaceful marches. That is their plan to stop us,” he said.
Dakile said the union would be meeting with officials to discuss the planned protests for May 31. “We want to know about their decision by Monday, so that we can know what action to take.”
“If no permission is granted, even if we had gone through all legal processes, COSATU will go ahead with the protests.”
