South Africans Protest Electronic Road Tolls - East Idaho News
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South Africans Protest Electronic Road Tolls

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south%20africa?  SQUARESPACE CACHEVERSION=1331136794765iStockphot​o/Thinksto​ck(JOHANNESBURG, South Africa) — Thousands of people marched in 32 cities across South Africa to protest proposed road tolls.

The Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu) organized the marches and according to BBC News, the protests are the biggest in years.

Cosatu officials say the electronic tolls would affect the poor and cause unnecessary burden on an already suffering population.

The government built new roads and highways ahead of the 2010 World Cup and in order to recoup the money spent on construction and improvements to the nation’s infrastructure, the government plans to introduce tolls between Johannesburg and Pretoria starting on April 30.

The introduction of electronic tolling was stalled several times after Cosatu threatened strikes and objections by businesses.

Government officials said they acknowledged opposition to the fees but the system will still be implemented.

Copyright 2012 ABC News Radio

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