The Congress of South African Trade Unions in Gauteng is worried and confused by messages relating to the scrapping of e-tolls by Premier, Panyaza Lesufi. COSATU cautioned soon after Finance Minister Godongwane made a pronouncement during his maiden Medium Term Budget Policy Statement that the scrapping of the user-payer system might be a scam. Our suspicions are now beginning to be proven right.

Premier Panyaza Lesufi has made two pronouncements after his government failed to scrap the user-payer system on 31 December 2022 as promised. Firstly, the Premier said those who were paying the failed system, of which the majority is business, will be re-imbursed at least a total of R6 billion. The Premier should know by now that business has passed their cost of e-tolls to consumers through the increase of basic amenities and have enjoyed the preferential privileges at the normal toll gates and  as such, don’t deserve any re-imbursement. It is baffling that the very same government that is crying poverty, is prepared to settle the unsubstantiated R47 billion and will be giving R6 billion to business.

It’s also confusing that the provincial government is the one making these pronouncements and committing Gauteng motorists to the debt while these are SANRAL debts.

Secondly, the Premier pronounced that consultation with motorists would be initiated to find ways of paying for the Gauteng Freeway Improvement Project. This pronouncement proved that the announcement by Minister Godongwane to scrap the user-payer system is a scam that sought to manage decent against e-tolls which had negative effects on the polls since the inception of this policy.

COSATU in Gauteng is cautioning motorists not to fall for this biggest scam by government and agree to pay for the Gauteng Highway Improvement Project indirectly. COSATU is awaiting the consultation process and will reject any proposal that would suggest that motorists should pay for this project. 

Onus to scrap this system accordingly lies on the government as they committed to it through announcements by the Minister of Finance and the Premier of Gauteng.

Issued by COSATU Gauteng

Provincial Secretary – Louisa Modikwe: 066 182 2402

Provincial Chairperson – Amos Monyela: 079 493 5002