News National Government's announcement on e-tolls may be delayed

04 OCT 2012 17:26 - SAPA The government's announcement on e-tolling in Gauteng may be delayed, the inter-ministerial committee on the Gauteng Freeway Improvement Project said. OUR COVERAGE E-tolling case an opportunity for Concourt to define its ambit Tolling unlikely before matter returns to court E-tolling: ConCourt savages high court ruling Vavi on e-tolls: Don't even think about it The government's announcement on e-tolling in Gauteng may be delayed, the inter-ministerial committee (IMC) on the Gauteng Freeway Improvement Project said on Thursday. Spokesperson Thabo Masebe said in a text message: "It is still on, but the time has not yet been set because of another meeting with stakeholders. The announcement may even be delayed until Saturday." The "stakeholders" mentioned apparently include the Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu). Earlier on Thursday, Cosatu spokesperson Patrick Craven said the government would be "jumping the gun" if it went ahead with the announcement. He said Cosatu would meet the IMC on Friday morning. "The absurd thing is we have a meeting with them [the IMC] tomorrow [Friday], on the same day as the announcement. Let's hope this works out ... but it looks like someone has blundered," he said. Responding to questions on what action Cosatu would take should the government announce that e-tolling was going ahead, Craven said: "Our campaign of opposition will be back into top gear ... we will take to the streets. Let's hope they hold back." Cosatu has mounted a strong campaign against e-tolling, maintaining it is the wrong way to raise money for the country's freeway systems. The government's plans to introduce e-tolling in Gauteng have provoked massive opposition from motorists and residents of South Africa's economic heartland. On Wednesday, Masebe said the IMC, which is chaired by Deputy President Kgalema Motlanthe, would "be making an announcement on Friday, on how the e-tolls will be implemented". He said it was possible to have a solution that satisfied everyone, as the government and relevant parties were much closer after the consultations than earlier this year. There was general agreement on the user-pays principle, Masebe said. On Thursday, Craven said Cosatu did not support the user-pays principle. He repeated a call for the public not to buy e-tags, and said there were "huge numbers of people, beyond Cosatu" who were opposed to e-tolling. – Sapa Mail & Guardian - - Comments by Sonny - - What is the deputy president and his goons up to now? Forced entry through the back door like his secret with his secretary at Luthuli House? (Between linen sheets). Why can't we thrust these infidels. So unreliable, so deceitful? WE WILL NOT FALL INTO THEIR UNCONSTITUTIONAL TRAP - NEVER! Who did they play at the last judgement? Zuma must have picked his pawns well. Where are the alternative roads?