DA pickets outside Gauteng premier’s office, call to end e-tolls once and for all

Etolls_lighted Gantry sanral
Pickets and public anger: The DA has called for the total scrapping of e-tolls, picketing outside the Gauteng premier’s office.

Article taken from the South African Press Association

The DA was picketing in front of the Gauteng premier’s office to urge him to call for a referendum on e-tolls, provincial leader John Moodey said on Wednesday.

“We’re here as the voice of the people of Gauteng and to raise awareness that we’re taking their fight forward,” he told Sapa at the picket, in central Johannesburg.

Over 100 people wearing Democratic Alliance T-shirts danced and sang in Simmonds Street, where Moodey was expected to address them later.

“We will continue to raise the issue of the total scrapping of e-tolls,” he said.”We’re making a plea to the premier for a referendum on the matter so that the people’s voices can be heard once and for all.”

He said they would not hand over a memorandum as thousands of people had already e-mailed the premier expressing opposition to the system.

Peter Polan, from Eldorado Park, said it was difficult for him to pay e-tolls on top of other expenses. “The petrol price, food price and electricity is going up and I must still pay e-tolls,” he said. “Everything increases because of the e-tolls. It’s counterproductive.”

Letticia Spani said it had become expensive to travel by taxi into Johannesburg each day from her home in Grasmere.

“We are using a taxi. It’s too expensive,” she said.

Peter Stewart said e-tolls ate into the little bit of money he had left at the end of each month. “It takes that bottom bit of money that you’ve got left, that’s gone,” he said. “Everything goes up, rates, taxes, petrol. Then you’ve still got to cope with e-tolls.”

Stewart said the tolls affected everyone and that there was no alternative.

“There’s no public transport, Rea Vaya is on strike, the Gautrain doesn’t run everywhere.”

During the picket, police blocked the entrance of the premier’s office.

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