Zuma signs contentious e-toll bill into law

PRESIDENT Jacob Zuma has signed the contentious e-tolling bill into law, as the Opposition to Urban Tolling Alliance (Outa) took its fight against the system to the Supreme Court of Appeals.

The Presidency’s announcement yesterday came as a shock as speculation was rife that signing the bill into law would hurt the African National Congress (ANC) in next year’s election.

E-tolling on Gauteng highways has facing widespread opposition from across society, including ANC ally the Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu).

But with Cosatu in the midst of its deepest crisis since its inception and its outspoken general secretary Zwelinzima Vavi’s political career on the ropes, Mr Zuma’s timing in pushing through the bill appears lawless — effectively meaning e-tolling may commence before the year’s end.

Cosatu Gauteng chairman Putas Tseki last night expressed shock that the president had signed the bill into law.

He said that he would have to consult the federation’s national leadership on the matter.

“I don’t have much to say, I’m shocked if that’s true,” Mr Tseki said. “We were not consulted, not told a thing.”

Cosatu’s acting general secretary Bheki Ntshalintshali said the federation’s position on e-tolling had not changed and its central executive committee resolved last week to form a socioeconomic commission to discuss dates for a day of action against e-tolls.

But Cosatu’s commitment to the campaign came into question when its Gauteng chapter was criticised by other leaders for its hard-line stance in the anti-tolling battle during the continuing process aimed at ironing out the federation’s internal divisions.

The Transport Laws and Related Matters Amendment Bill was passed by the National Council of Provinces in May.

The bill has since been waiting for the signature of Mr Zuma to become law.

The Freedom Front Plus (FF+) also expressed surprise at the move last night, after the party claimed victory on the matter earlier this month, publicly announcing that Mr Zuma’s legal advisers had agreed that there

were constitutional flaws in the bill.

FF+ parliamentary spokesman Anton Alberts said the party was likely to challenge the bill in court.

Outa spokesman Wayne Duvenage said the move had no effect on the alliance’s court bid to review the system. Mr Duvenage said that with little public support, the bill would be difficult to implement.

Judgment was reserved in Outa’s appeal yesterday. The high court in Pretoria granted the organisation leave to appeal against a previous judgment it had handed down.

South African National Roads Agency (Sanral) spokesman Vusi Mona last night welcomed the move. Sanral will now wait for the transport minister to wrap up the necessary paperwork before it proceeds.