SATAWU statement on the postponement of Gauteng e-tolls

[Rea Molopyane]

 

 

SATAWU statement on the postponement of Gauteng e-tolls

13 January 2012

 

The South African Transport & Allied Workers’ Union (SATAWU) welcomes the announcement by SANRAL that the implementation of e-tolling on Gauteng roads has been put on hold. This is victory for the poor and the working class. As the SATAWU we say this massive multi-billion rand expenditure on freeways was the wrong priority. We agree with government that all future SANRAL freeway and tolling projects must be put on hold and thoroughly reassessed.

 

SATAWU has been of the view that a huge chunk of the toll revenue will go to the foreign company running the system and SANRAL executives massive bonus's. The focus should still be on arguing and campaigning for government to re-prioritise its infrastructure spending in the direction of the needs of the working class. In particular, spending on public transport infrastructure and operations must be radically increased to reverse the backlogs which have resulted in such inadequate and unsafe public transport of all modes. Continuously expanding our roads to promote and accommodate more and more private cars, at the expense of other forms of mass transport, is socially, economically, and environmentally unsustainable.

 

The struggle for affordable, accessible public transport for all South Africans is also a struggle to ensure that government’s budgetary priorities are biased towards public transport, towards rural and township roads, and towards the safety of our children. Over R20-billion has already been spent on just Phase A1 of this project alone. We are still concerned by the fact that there are so many planned new tolls in the pipelines.

 

We have been consistent is saying tolling Gauteng roads is an infringement of our right of movement and not far removed from the Pass system. SANRAL needs to be investigated. SATAWU has publicly suspected that there have been tender irregularities in the Gauteng Freeway plan.  There is a need for working class and the poor to fight against this tolling system because it will exacerbate the present poverty and unemployment to a point where it will not be manageable.

 

We continue to call on the government to prioritise the achievement of safe, reliable, accessible, integrated and affordable public transport instead of being obsessed with elite projects and projects such as toll gates that do nothing but enrich a few at the expense of the majority and workers. 

 

Contact:

Mamokgethi Rea Molopyane

SATAWU National Spokesperson

Cell: 082 395 0907

Landline: 011 333 6127

E-mail: r...@satawu.org.za

Twitter: @Reagoikanya