JOHANNESBURG, (CAJ News) – THE Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU) has reiterated its opposition to the electronic tolls (e-tolls) and Gautrain, suggesting instead an alternative public transport system.
This follows the reported rejection of a 60 percent discount offer for the e-tolls.
South African National Roads Agency Limited (SANRAL) spokesperson, Vusi Mona, was quoted as saying the agency have only managed to collect R40 million in the first four weeks of the offer, which started in November.
“The Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU) calls on the government and Sanral to heed the strong and unambiguous message that is being strongly relayed by South Africans, totally rejecting the farce that is the e-tolls project,” said Sizwe Pamla, COSATU National Spokesperson.
“The latest figures show that Sanral has spectacularly failed to convince South Africans to pay for e-tolls, even after attempting to lure them with a 60 percent discount offer. What we should be discussing now, is the immediate rolling out of an affordable, accessible and efficient public transport system. Government should be spending the energy and the resources to ensure that there is an improvement in the coordination of our multi-faceted public transport system.”
Pamla meanwhile said the federation would oppose the attempts to extend the Gautrain underground train project.
“The majority of workers and the poor cannot access nor afford the Gautrain. It is unacceptable that they have to be made to foot the bill this vanity project that caters for the well off minority. Public transport should not only be used by those with no other choice, but should become a mode of choice for all citizens.”
He said during this festive season an inefficient public transport system had seen loss of lives through roads accidents.
“We have also seen thousands of workers lose their jobs because of the unreliability of the public transport system. This negatively affects the economy because the wheels of the economy are bogged down by the inefficiency of an unreliable public transport system,” said Pamla.
– CAJ News
