Business
Uproar in South Africa over new road tolls
Electronic toll gate structure on Gauteng highway. PHOTO/Yuri Madonsela
South Africa’s powerful Cosatu labor federation vowed Tuesday to rally more than 100,000 protesters against new toll roads around Johannesburg that have angered workers and businesses.
“The tolls will put a burden on the poor,” Zwelinzima Vavi, Cosatu secretary general told journalists as plans were under way for marches on Wednesday.
“We’re saying to the government, we remain open to talk to you. Call us, we will come running to find a resolution,” he said.
Cosatu spokesman Patrick Craven said marches were to take place in 32 towns and cities, with the biggest protest expected in Johannesburg.
“We expect over 100,000 people to come out. This is about the people, the workers, voicing concern over this unjust proposal,” said Craven.
The new tolls on the highway between Johannesburg and the nearby capital Pretoria have caused a huge public outcry and Cosatu, which is a partner in the African National Congress (ANC) led government, has vowed to stop it.
The start of tolling in Gauteng province has been delayed three times since April 2011, after companies warned the fees would raise the cost of doing business and workers complained that their salaries were already stretched.
