E toll protest

http://www.iol.co.za/motoring/industry-news/e-tolls-cosatu-call-to-arms-1.1278473

"The Congress of SA Trade Unions is mobilising its two million members for the mother of all protests against the act of highway robbery set to be committed from 30 April 2012 - the Gauteng e-tolls," spokesperson Patrick Craven said in a statement.

"We are confident that we will be joined by many thousands more angry residents and motorists who support our demand for the scrapping of these tolls."

Cosatu is planning several rallies, marches, demonstrations and night vigils at the offices of the SA National Roads Agency Limited (Sanral) and the transport department across the country from April 23.

These would lead up to a large "national stay-away or socio-economic strike" on April 30.

Craven said opposition to the tolls was "overwhelming", especially to the new punitive rate which will be applied to motorists who do not get windscreen-mounted e-tags.

"These threats will have the exact opposite effect. They will infuriate people and make them even more determined to follow Cosatu's advice not to register and not to buy an e-tag," he said.

"In the end, however, it is the pressure of the masses which will force government to back down. People power has brought down governments in North Africa; it can surely stop this assault on our living standards."

On March 7 thousands of people participated in Cosatu's nationwide march against the tolls.

Sanral gazetted the new tariffs on Friday.

Alternate users (people without e-tags) will be charged R1.75/km, compared to the standard tariff of 30c/km for registered users.

It said the higher fee was because of the need to recover costs, including invoicing and debt collection.

Court bid

On Tuesday, several organisations and political parties raised concerns about the tariffs and asked Sanral to postpone the launch.

The SA Chamber of Commerce and Industry said it was "concerned by the uncertainty" surrounding the fee system and the exemptions for public transport.

"This makes a clear case for delaying implementation until there is clarity on the toll fees and exemptions for certain road users," it said.

Business Unity SA (Busa) called for a delay in implementation until the public's concerns had been fully addressed.

"Unless these serious practical problems can be timeously resolved, Busa sincerely believes that the magnitude of challenges facing the e-toll system in Gauteng justify delaying its implementation... to a later date."

Afrikaner lobby group AfriForum instructed its lawyers on Tuesday to urgently prepare court papers in an attempt to stop the launch.

"The public is asked to wait for the outcome of the proposed legal action of AfriForum and other groups, before deciding whether to register for e-toll at all," said AfriForum chief executive Kallie Kriel said.

The National Council of Societies for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals said the tariffs would severely impact its ability to rescue animals.

"We do not receive any funds whatsoever from national or local government and exemption from Sanral was denied... [we are] now in a position whereby we shall have no option but to use public funds to pay for our vehicles to be allowed onto freeways as we go to assist animals," it said.

On Monday, National Consumer Commissioner Mamodupi Mohlala said she would look into a complaint by the Democratic Alliance about the punitive rate.

latest news on e toll- how it effects us all

And the chop suey thickens. Now Sanral have finally started showing their hand. Yes, you don’t HAVE to buy a e tag, you don’t HAVE to register, BUT if you don’t…..you’ll get charged R1.75 /km as apposed, to the 30c/km  you would be charged as an e tag holder.

http://www.iol.co.za/the-star/e-toll-shock-1.1276551

Giving the proverbial finger to all those planning on taking part in the nationwide boycott?

Just as an example, I decided to get an idea how much the e toll system would cost, I used their onsite calendar using two points I pass each day as my starting and destination points. 

From London Road Off ramp to Gillooleys Interchange

With e tag Approx R87 per month

Without R140

That is a tiny distance  with less then 3 off ramps between the 2 points.

 I can only imagine how staggering the costs would be to those travelling longer distances like Pta to Jhb or from South of Jhb to Sandton.

Not to mention how this will effect  every other aspect of our lives.

Food prices will go up so that the farmers and logistic companies can cover their extra transport costs. Any company that uses the highways for their business will increase the cost of the product or service to cover it.




So what does this mean for us? We’ll be paying more, more for food, more for services, more for petrol and more to get to work. So on the same salary but paying more for essentials we will slowly become poorer.

The rest of the country just shrugs its shoulders, after all, as far as they can see, this is a Gauteng problem right? Wrong, you will all be paying more for everything. The price increases will go across the board and affect the entire country.

http://www.timeslive.co.za/local/2012/04/17/e-tolls-must-be-delayed-busa

http://www.businesslive.co.za/southafrica/sa_markets/2012/04/16/e-toll-places-burden-on-non-gauteng-drivers

http://www.iol.co.za/motoring/industry-news/no-e-toll-protest-blockade-rfa-1.1275898

http://www.engineeringnews.co.za/article/gauteng-e-tolling-a-case-study-in-unlateral-thinking-2012-04-06

Our only hope I feel is that the "people" realize how they have been shafted over the years and finally STOP VOTING ANC!!!!!!!!  I don't care who else you vote for, just NOT ANC!!!!!!!! All they have done is take away all the peoples money and given it to the politicians. We starve while they drive luxury cars and live in fancy houses

             Welcome to another Zimbabwe where the politicians thrive and the people suffer. 

how most of South africa lives

How Zuma lives

Amazing how different the lives of "the people" and their chosen leaders are

zuma safe and sound in decedent luxury

e toll protest

Hoax or Legit? I haven't been able to figure it out yet, but if it's real its going to be big.

A MASS SHUTDOWN OF THE GAUTENG FREEWAYS IS HAPPENING ON WEDNESDAY 25TH APRIL 2012. LARGE TRUCKING AND LOGISTICS COMPANIES ARE PLANNING TO BLOCK OFF ALL MAJOR INTERSECTIONS AROUND GAUTENG. BOTH DIRECTIONS WILL BE AFFECTED. THE COMPANIES' AIM IS TO SHUT DOWN GAUTENG FOR THE DAY, THUS CREATING HOURS OF TRAFFIC BACKLOGS AND BILLIONS OF RANDS IN LOSSES. THIS, THEY HOPE, WILL SHOW THE GOVERNMENT THAT THEY CANNOT JUST DO WHAT THEY LIKE AND THAT THE TRUE POWER OF THIS COUNTRY DOES NOT LIE IN THEIR HANDS.


PLEASE STAY OFF THE HIGHWAYS ON THIS DAY OR BE PREPAIRED TO SIT IN TRAFFIC THE WHOLE DAY...


THE MAJOR INTERSECTIONS THAT WILL BE AFFECTED ARE:
FLYING SAUCER - PTA (N1/R21)
BRAKFONTEIN - PTA (N1/N14)
PROEFPLAAS - PTA (N1/N4)
GILLOOLYS - EAST RAND (N3/N12)
RIETFONTEIN - EAST RAND (N12/R21)
AIRPORT - EAST RAND (R21/R24
BUCCLEUCH - JHB (N3/N1)
READING - JHB (N12/R59)
ELAND - JHB (N12/N17/N3)
CROWN - JHB (M1/M2)
GELDENHUYS - JHB (N3/M2)

http://www.unseenworld.co.za/unseen-world/entry/gauteng-freeway-shutdown-25-april-2012-hoax.html

http://www.hoax-slayer.com/joburg-freeway-shutdown-warning.shtml

how a trucker strike in Italy shutdown the freeways