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JOHANNESBURG - Cosatu has announced that it will take to the highways today (Dec 6 2012) in cars to protest against e-tolling in Gauteng.
Congress of SA Trade Unions' Gauteng chairman Phutas Tseki said: "We won't be marching and demonstrating with our feet this time - we will be demonstrating with our wheels, we will be driving slowly."
Tseki said this was not a strike and that members would be at work on Thursday.
Cosatu leaders, shop stewards and leaders of Cosatu affiliates were expected to participate. "We will do this for almost seven hours," Tseki said.
TWO-PRONGED APPROACH
There would be two campaigns - one in Ekurhuleni and one in Johannesburg. Protesters - and their cars -were to meet at 6am at the corner of Black Reef and Masakane roads in Ekurhuleni and on Jorissen Street in Johannesburg. The protest was expected to start at 8am.
The two protests would take place on some of Johannesburg's busiest highways - the N1, M2, M1, N3, N12, R24, and R21. Tseki said 100 cars er route were expected.
Cosatu Gauteng secretary Dumisani Dakile urged people who joined the protest to drive with their car lights and hazards on. Some cars would also have banners.
"This is the first time we are marching on the freeways with cars," Dakile said. "In February we will push the campaign to the next level. This is the beginning... next time we will close the roads for 24 hours and if the (ANC) government doesn't listen we might close them for a week."
