Cheers and jeers for e-toll convoy

Motorists travelling along the M1 hooted and cheered as a Cosatu-led convoy protest against e-tolls made its way across the highway.

However, some motorists were left frustrated by the backlog caused by the convoy, which left only one lane out of three open.

One irritated driver called out to the 50-vehicle-strong Congress of SA Trade Union convoy: "Is this what you do with your time?"

Banners, inviting people to "Hoot against e-tolls" were draped across bridges on the highway.

Police were on the scene, diverting traffic and keeping an eye on proceedings.

At times, the protesters got out of their vehicles to sing and dance along the lanes, more typically occupied by speeding city slickers.

The convoy, including motorbikes and minibus taxis, is making its way from Johannesburg to the SA National Roads Agency Limited (Sanral) offices in Pretoria.

It plans to hand over a memorandum detailing its complaints against a system it suggests is "selling our public roads to the highest bidder."

Earlier, this week Cosatu Gauteng secretary Dumisani Dakile said the protesters also planned to enact the "burning of the e-tags and the bills which had been received by our people."