'Don't pay, just drive through e-tolls': Vavi
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Cosatu general secretary Zwelinzima Vavi has called on motorists to boycott Gauteng's electronic road-tolling system.
Vavi said yesterday that the union federation was advocating this form of civil disobedience because people should not be forced to pay to use public roads.
Vavi said: "The federation has declared war on the Gauteng e-tolling system. We are against the commodification of more and more public services and believe that our roads are a public asset - not a commodity to create massive profits for private companies in Australia."
The electronic tolling system, which will be launched in February, will force drivers of light motor vehicles to pay 40c/km, medium vehicles R1/km, heavy trucks R2/km, and bikers 24c/km.
Said Vavi: "These tolls will have a devastating effect on workers who have no alternative but to drive to work because of the lack of a proper public transport system.
"They will lead to big price increases in the shops to cover the increased cost of transporting goods, and some companies might even be forced out of business and have to retrench workers because of their increased transport costs."
He urged motorists to defy the SA National Roads Agency's call to register for an electronic tolling account.
". We urge people not to buy e-tags and, if the tolls have not been scrapped, we will be encouraging motorists to drive through the gantries without paying . we will not pay fines imposed for merely using public roads."
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'Don't pay, just drive through e-tolls': Vavi
For Commenters Consideration | Please stick to the subject matterCOMMENTS [5]
Gaara
Posted 157 days agoDefender
Posted 157 days agoI will not register for e-toll. If I receive a letter of demand I will request photographic evidence of my vehicle using the road. Many vehicles have false registration plates and countless more are not registered at the place of abode of the owner. We will all have to stand together this time around to make this project fail. I never thought I would support something Cosatu propagates!
the_original_MommaCyndi
Posted 157 days agoIt also burns me that a rumoured 80c in every Rand will go as profits to the Austrian group
Richard1972
Posted 157 days agoAlso, government has not considered the consequences. Thousands will avoid the highways and use minor roads instead, causing congestion and potholes. Companies and shops will increase prices to cover their additional transport expenses, which means inflation soars and the poor suffer most. Rising inflation means the Reserve Bank will hike interest rates, which means it costs more to pay for your house or car, more people will default on payments. The knock-on effects of this ill-conceived money making scheme are huge.
But they think they can get away with it because when they tolled the N4 and the N1 we stood by and looked on like monkeys and did not object, and they saw how much money it makes. Millions per day. In Bible times toll collectors were classed with sinners.
RedNed
Posted 155 days agoGet members of your union federation down to the toll booth gantries and drive through without paying. Give us a very public demonstration.
Go Vavi...go.