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Johannesburg - The Congress of SA Trade Unions (Cosatu) will stage a national protest against the e-tolling of Gauteng's highways, its president Sidumo Dlamini said on Friday.
"There is clarity from Cosatu that we are taking action on the streets of our country against e-tolls and for a fully integrated safe accessible public transport system," he told reporters in Johannesburg.
He said a Cosatu socio-economic commission met on Friday to decide on a "national day of action" against e-tolls.
"The same meeting assigned the national office bearers to look for a date which will be within the first two weeks of November this year."
Cosatu second deputy president Zingiswa Losi said there were different ways Cosatu could protest against e-tolls, one of which was a drive-slow on Gauteng's highways.
"It can [also] be a national stay-away, where workers across the country may, when Cosatu has decided on a date, take a day to strike and say we are not going to work."
On Wednesday, the Supreme Court of Appeal in Bloemfontein dismissed the latest challenge by the Opposition to Urban Tolling Alliance to e-tolling of Gauteng's freeways.
The court's decision was met with mixed reaction. Transport Minister Dipuo Peters and Gauteng transport MEC Ismail Vadi welcomed the news.
However, Cosatu, the Democratic Alliance, the Automobile Association of SA, the Freedom Front Plus, Agang SA, and the Economic Freedom Fighters were disappointed by the ruling.
On September 25, President Jacob Zuma signed into law the transport laws and related matters amendment bill, paving the way for e-tolling.
Dlamini said the court's decision would make no difference to Cosatu's campaign.
"[Our campaign]... was never about the legality of the tolls, but on a fundamental principle - that our roads are a national asset, already paid for through taxation and the fuel levy, and motorists should not therefore have to pay again to drive on these public freeways."
