COSATU Gauteng statement on Minister Fikile Mbalula’s planned announcement of the solution to the e-toll impasse

7 May 2021

The Congress of South African Trade Unions in Gauteng has noted the announcement by the Minister of Transport Fikile Mbalula that a resolution to the Gauteng e-toll saga will be revealed in the next two weeks. The Minister revealed this while addressing the National Council of Provinces (NCOP) yesterday on 6th of May 2021. Whilst we welcome and look forward to the planned announcement by the Minister, we are worried that we have not been consulted as people who have vociferously objected to the e-tolls. But there is still ample time for the consultations to take place on a possible solution to this policy failure.

We also remain skeptical about this announcement because the Minister has made the same promises before without fulfilling them.

COSATU remains adamant that the only acceptable announcement will be the one of the total scrapping of this user payer system. Anything other than the total cancellation of e-tolls will result in the prolongation of the ongoing dispute over e-tolls. The Federation remains unwavering in its commitment to this ongoing boycott of e-toll system.

Issued by Louisa Modikwe, Provincial Secretary, COSATU, 7 May 2021