E-toll mass action to start next week

File photo: Leon Nicholas

File photo: Leon Nicholas

Published Nov 23, 2012

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A three-phase plan to protest against e-tolling would begin next week, Cosatu announced on Friday.

“We will be engaging in mass action starting from November 30,” provincial secretary Dumisani Dakile said in Johannesburg.

The Johannesburg march would start at 9am at Mary Fitzgerald Square in Newtown.

Protesters would leave the square around 11.30am and make their way to the transport and housing departments.

“We have served Nedlac with the required notice to ensure that our members and the broader public are protected to participate in the action.”

In Pretoria, the march would start at Sophie De Bruyn Street at 9am and proceed to the departments of transport and finance. More protests were planned for December 6.

“We will be closing all the major freeways in Gauteng.”

In Ekurhuleni, Cosatu planned to close parts of the N12, N17, N3, and R21. In Tshwane sections of the N1, N4 and the R21 would be closed. In Johannesburg Cosatu would target the N1, M1, M2, and N12.

“People will drive slowly on the highways... with cars, trucks, tractors, taxis and even bicycles,” Dakile said.

Cosatu provincial chairman Phutas Tseki said this would force motorists to drive on alternate routes. He said there were no suitable alternate roads.

“Government will realise what challenges we face.”

The third phase would take place in February with night vigils during the opening of Parliament and provincial legislatures.

The “mother of all battles” against e-tolling would happen in March. More details would be announced later.

“We call upon government to scrap this system and find other alternative solutions to this matter.

“We call upon our people not to buy e-tags, and those who have done so should write to the SA National Roads Agency Limited and cancel them.” -Sapa

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