The National Education, Health and Allied Workers’ Union (Nehawu) said on Tuesday that it was “deeply worried about government’s decision to introduce a new tolling system in the province of Gauteng without any meaningful consultation”.

Toll fees of 30c/km for motorcycles, 49,5c/km for cars, R1,49/km for trucks between 6 m and 12,5 m long, and R2,97/km for vehicles longer than 12,5 m would be levied from June 23 on 185 km of Gauteng freeways for users sporting an etag.

Several discounts were, however, set to come into play, with, for example, licensed public transport vehicles to pay 50% less a kilometre.

Nehawu said in a statement that it would fight “this assault on poor Gauteng residents”.

The trade union demanded a moratorium on the introduction of the tolling system, until what it said was the “proper consultation” of all stakeholders and Gauteng residents.

“This tolling system makes a mockery of government’s promise for the creation of decent work and poverty alleviation, because businesses will transfer the costs of this tolling system to the consumer.

“This system needs to also consider those who use their cars to eke out a living because they will be negatively affected. The cost of this system will be transferred to [public transport] passengers, and combined with the everincreasing fuel price it will cause nothing but misery for the workers.”

Nehawu added that it understood that the roads needed repair, and also acknowledged the necessity for measures to ease traffic congestion. However, it emphasised that further “proper and meaningful consultation” had to take place before the toll system was implemented.

The union also called on government to urgently improve the rail system.

Metrorail was, for example, still awaiting the long-pending approval from Cabinet to buy new rolling stock.