/ 23 May 2013

Cosatu hesitant about Friday’s e-toll protest

Cosatu Hesitant About Friday's E Toll Protest

"We are still trying to get a decision on whether it will go ahead legally," spokesperson Patrick Craven said in Johannesburg on Thursday.

"We are just waiting for a decision."

By 5pm, the Cosatu had failed to get permission for the drive-slow, planned for Friday.

"Authorisation has not been given," said Johannesburg Metro police Chief Superintendent Wayne Minnaar.

Permission was not granted because at Cosatu's previous motorcade, protesters had stopped and walked on the freeway, which is in contravention of the National Road Traffic Act.

All law enforcement agencies would be on standby to ensure the protest did not go ahead on Friday, said Minnaar.

Earlier this week, the union's Gauteng secretary Dumisani Dakile said it would embark on a go-slow drive to bring the province's highways to a standstill against the planned e-tolling in the province. The planned motorcade was to be held on the M1 north, N1 south, N12, and M2 north highways in Johannesburg.

E-tolling is due to be implemented
In December, the N3 highway was briefly closed when protesting motorists parked their cars sideways and started dancing on the road during a drive-slow motorcade.

Electronic tolling is due to be implemented soon.

On April 11, the South African National Roads Agency Limited (Sanral) announced it would be rolled out within the next two months.

In April last year, the North Gauteng High Court granted the Opposition to Urban Tolling Alliance (Outa) an interdict approving a full judicial review before e-tolling could be put into effect.

The interdict prevented Sanral from levying or collecting e-tolls pending the outcome of the review.

Sanral and the national treasury appealed the court order.

In September, the Constitutional Court set aside the interim order, and in December the High Court in Pretoria dismissed Outa's application to scrap e-tolling.

On January 25, the court granted Outa leave to take the matter to the Supreme Court of Appeal in Bloemfontein.

The hearing will take place in September. – Sapa