There are few certainties in South African politics. Don't bet against Jacob Zuma is one. Julius Malema will be more outrageous today than yesterday is another. Taking on Cosatu is dangerous is yet another. And it's this third rule that it seems someone is intent on breaking. That someone, and let's face it, they're nobody's friend at the moment, is the South African National Roads Agency Limited. They've got a clumsy name, but Sanral is a certifiable public enemy number one. And when the dust clears and they count the bodies of their fallen, they will have Cosatu to blame. By STEPHEN GROOTES.
You have to hand it to Sanral: they really know how to confuse a person. Just a few days ago, transport minister S'bu Ndebele announced a halt to all plans to toll freeways. It had been some time coming as public anger was building and rebellion was in the air. And then, as though noting has happened, Sanral decides to have a "launch" of its brand spanking new "e-tag" system. The idea is clever; you buy a tag, you put it on your car, and when you drive past the tolling points, money gets taken off your account. Smooth. No stopping. Except for the fact that you are used to driving down that highway, smoothly, with no stopping and without getting that irritating beep from your cell phone to tell you're poorer than you were five seconds ago.
Now Cosatu, who knows a nasty capitalist when it sees one, has jumped in. "Don't buy the e-tags" it's warning, because you may never actually use them. Their point is that you will be giving Sanral money now, that will then earn interest, when in fact the process of getting the toll-roads off the ground hasn't actually finished yet. The final decision about how they will run hasn't been made. In fact, just later this week, there are not one but two meetings (at the same time incidentally, a fact that naturally incensed the DA somewhat) on this very issue. These meetings, Cosatu and the DA have been told, are for consultation.
