Deputy Speaker, it is highly unfortunate that the Department of Transport and the Gauteng provincial government did not use a bottom-up approach to determine whether or not roads in that province should be tolled. The decision to establish a task team to study the impact of the new tolling system in the province at this very late juncture is just inept damage control.
It is also very alarming that Cosatu is now planning to submit a section 77 notice to the National Economic Development and Labour Council, Nedlac, in order to oppose the tolling system. It is also threatening mass demonstrations, stayaways and possibly a strike. All of these indicate how poorly and clumsily government has managed the entire process.
Particularly damaging to South Africa is the issue of the reliability of doing business with government. What does the ham-handed handling of this matter say to international and local investors?
If the Ministry of Transport entered into any agreement with investors, it must honour that agreement. On the other hand, if the toll fees are high, they should be reduced and made affordable, so that the burden of development and maintenance of roads is not shifted in its entirety to the road users. That would be unacceptable.
A fair system which provides value for investor and customer is what is needed. What is also needed is the exercise of greater care by Minister S'bu Ndebele in responding to public criticism. His urging of people who do not like the tolling suggestion to use public transport is in the classical Marie Antoinette mould - he is out of touch with reality - and Cope demands that a win-win situation be created at once. Thank you. [Applause.]