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Johannesburg - Cosatu on Wednesday joined a chorus of criticism against the controversial new toll road fees for Gauteng set to take effect in June.
"Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu) is totally opposed to the new tolls, which will impose a huge financial burden on poor commuters," said Cosatu spokesperson, Patrick Craven.
Cosatu demanded that the introduction of new tolls be suspended to allow a proper debate and public consultation on the future of transport in the province.
"The federation fully supports the upgrading of the road network, which was long overdue," he said.
Craven said in the absence of an affordable, reliable and efficient public transport system the new tolling system would have disastrous consequences.
"The hardest hit will be workers, especially those who live far from their workplace, for very many of whom there will be no alternative but to use tolled roads," he said.
He said the Metrorail service was in disarray and that the Gautrain benefited a small elite and that the planned high-speed train between Johannesburg and Durban would be the worst elitist approach. It would cost about R213bn.
"Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu) is totally opposed to the new tolls, which will impose a huge financial burden on poor commuters," said Cosatu spokesperson, Patrick Craven.
Cosatu demanded that the introduction of new tolls be suspended to allow a proper debate and public consultation on the future of transport in the province.
"The federation fully supports the upgrading of the road network, which was long overdue," he said.
Craven said in the absence of an affordable, reliable and efficient public transport system the new tolling system would have disastrous consequences.
"The hardest hit will be workers, especially those who live far from their workplace, for very many of whom there will be no alternative but to use tolled roads," he said.
He said the Metrorail service was in disarray and that the Gautrain benefited a small elite and that the planned high-speed train between Johannesburg and Durban would be the worst elitist approach. It would cost about R213bn.
