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PASS ALL: The Government Employees Pension Fund holds about 50% of Sanral bonds that run the e-tolling system. PHOTO: Simon Mathebula

COSATU believes that it can still persuade the government to halt the implementation of the controversial e-tolling system on Gauteng's highways.

Union federation spokesman Patrick Craven said yesterday, ahead of its meeting with the ANC today, that it believed that through the party it could sway the government's position on a system that will hurt the poor.

Craven said today's meeting would be part of Cosatu's continuing efforts to have the e-tolls scrapped.

"We hope we will make progress in [today's] meeting. We have to engage with the government and convince it this is about value.

"We hope some in the ANC can convince the government that we can still debate the issue in which we want the system scrapped," he said.

Craven reiterated Cosatu's previous declaration that it would be robust in protesting against the system.

General secretary Zwelinzima Vavi told thousands of protesters during Cosatu's massive march earlier this month that it would send its members to block the tollgates if the system went ahead on April 30, the implementation date.

Craven said Cosatu would intensify its protest campaigns if today's meeting did not yield desirable results.

"[If necessary] we will get our members to blockade the tollgates and will consider other ways to protest after [today's] meeting," he said.

Craven said Cosatu would not join other parties that have instituted a court challenge against the Department of Transport.

A business organisation in the leasing and car rental sector, calling itself Opposition to Urban Tolling (Outa), launched a challenge in the Pretoria High Court last week.

Craven said: "We cannot be part of people who are driven by political motives. The Democratic Alliance is the force behind those people."

Six days before the e-tolling system is scheduled to start, the courts will hear a case against it.

On Friday, Outa filed a court application to stop tolling in Gauteng.

Group spokesman Wayne Duvenage said: "It is a sad day when a nation's government develops a tense and threatening relationship with its people when trying to force an unjust and unpopular decision into being."

The fuel levy could be used to pay for the Gauteng Freeway Improvement Project at an additional cost of between eight and 10c per litre of fuel, Duvenage said.

The organisation served papers against SA National Roads Agency Limited, Transport Minister Sbu Ndebele, Water and Environment Affairs Minister Edna Molewa and her director-general, Gauteng transport MEC Ismail Vadi, and the National Consumer Commission.

Last month, Cosatu went on a national strike in protest.

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Comments

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Wed Jun 19 05:00:10 SAST 2013 ::

Mar 26, 2012

Vhamsanda

COSATU must not pull wool over our eyes by pretending to be against the e- Toll system. We know very well that they also benefit from it by sleeping with the ruling party. This is just to look busy so as to gather support. The ANC fat cats have spoken...and the e tolling will continue.
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Mar 26, 2012

truthhurt

VIVA COSATU VIVA,

THIS IS WHAT WE REALLY MEAN WHEN WE SAY THE PEOPLE SHALL GOVERN.

Power To The People!
Power to the masses!
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Mar 26, 2012

PANJOdeTIGER

Can we all south africans be united and do what the Egyptian did! lest all go out and bomd this etoll thing mina I cant afford it!
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Mar 26, 2012

FarCeSpotter

In my opinion, what COSATU and all other opposing the high way tolling system is missing is that the ANC really stuffed it up, not the method of paying for it:

1) So much money poured into this improvement - just to get an additional lane or two in some instances. (not cost effective at all)

2) Affordability - regardless of the benefit, the first question should always have been: Can we afford it as a country, province or citizen. It sounds like we cannot, so major fail.

3) Can this money not have been better spent on public transport for the masses - that is where the real need is. Or a close second improve the railways to reduce the number of trucks on road.

In my opinion these failures are dismissable offences - so we are going to fire the ANC soon.

So by fighting HOW we pay for this disaster (toll, tax or levy) is really a distraction from the real issue - gross incompetence. And no corrective measures have been taken against the guilty parties. Ave (bye) ANC!

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Mar 26, 2012

SebolaNtimetseAdikateMoketla

I want to repeat

Everywhere in the world

GOVERNMENT COLLUDES WITH INDUSTRY

The decision already made about the tolls

Will stand whether we jump, fight, k!ll etc

government colludes with industry

Even if they stop it now

It will be implemented a few years later

The losses caused by mass action
Were planned for years ago
And they are part of operating or construction costs!!
Thats the arrogance you must know!

Mass action no matter how severe

regarded by politicians as ants in an antheap
We need them for soil formation

We need mass action for social change
But it wont stop government agenda

Cosatu-

PLEASE

PLEASE BRING THIS COUNTRY TO A STANDSTILL!!!!!

VIIIIIIIIIIIII.............VA!!!!!

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Mar 26, 2012

iPhone4

Somebody please help me understand:

What's going to happen to the people who don't stay in Gauteng but do make use of the routes how are they going to charge those people or we will just receive a bill? If i remember correctly over the weekend i went past 5 of these tolls.
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Mar 26, 2012

CheeseBoy

Screw what the people want its the ANC slogan, together we can screw you.

What I find really disturbing is the defeaning silence from our so called opposition parties.This would have been an oppotunity for "opposition parties to take advantage of this sham and gain potential votes."

but then again we all know our opposition parties are nothing more than useles bodies.
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Mar 26, 2012

CheeseBoy

Something I find very uncomfortable about "COSATU is the fact that I know they knew about these toll gates before they came into this country"

whay through a hissy fit now? just so we feel good? I smell a rat here
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Mar 26, 2012

SKIZOBANTWANA

Screw you the GOVERNMENT!! I JUST H A T E THIS eTOLLING..
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Mar 26, 2012

RobinH

Cheeseboy: Read the article and check the newspapers over the last month or so. Of course opposition parties are complaing. And with respect, COSATU has been opposed from the outset.
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