THETO MAHLAKOANA: Cosatu to take its fight against e-tolls to Ramaphosa’s door
The trade union federation is angry over remarks made by Tito Mboweni in support of the user-pays model
The e-tolls saga that has haunted the ANC since the implementation of the electronic tolling system on Gauteng highways in 2013 has set President Cyril Ramaphosa on a collision course with Cosatu. With just a few months before national elections, the president will go toe to toe with the country’s biggest trade union federation and ANC alliance partner over the issue. The problem is the timing of this inevitable standoff. Ramaphosa cannot afford this battle if he hopes to return to the Union Buildings after the 2019 elections; he needs to foster good relations with the federation. Having recently rallied the troops, in the form of business and organised labour, behind his investment drive and job creation campaigns, a fallout with Cosatu would certainly harm his vision. The trade union federation also happens to be Ramaphosa’s most solid support base in the alliance, having backed him since 2017 in his campaign for the party’s top post. With a divided ANC top six and national execut...
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