Cosatu 'shocked' by Ndebele comments

Johannesburg - Cosatu expressed shock on Friday over Transport Minister Sibusiso Ndebele's statement that it was just a matter of time before the new Gauteng toll system was implemented.

Cosatu was "absolutely incensed" by the minister's statement, said Congress of SA Trade Unions national spokesman Patrick Craven.

"This is the same S'bu Ndebele who as recently as May 2011 said that following the widespread public outcry, toll fees would not be implemented without further consultation," Craven said.

"On May 20 the transport ministry promised 'there will be extensive consultation before any final decision is made about the possible implementation of new toll roads'."

On Thursday Ndebele said if the public wanted freeways then it had to pay for them.

"If there is an outcry and people say they won't pay tolls, then we can't put the freeway in," he said at a press conference in Cape Town.

"Freeways are not free."

Energy Minister Dipuo Peters said: "Those rejecting the tolls were the worst of people who spent their money on comforts and not on essential services such as electricity.

"People buy cellphones, they pay for airtime, but when it comes to water, electricity and transport, people complain about the user-pays principle, knowing quite well that we need resources to maintain and operate this infrastructure."

Craven said Cosatu was appalled by the "bizarre remark".

"What an insult to the millions of workers who have no alternative to using their cars to get to work because of the lack of any public transport alternative, and who now face a huge additional cost. This is not a "comfort" but a necessity," he said.

Cabinet approved revised tariffs for the Gauteng Freeway Improvement Project earlier in August.

The rates are 24c a kilometre for motorcycles, 40c/km for light motor vehicles and 200c/km for longer vehicles. Qualifying taxis and commuter buses are exempt.