Catholic Bishops petition against e-tolling

The petition was launched via the global civic campaign site, Avaaz.org, and urges all South Africans to sign and demonstrate how they feel about government’s resistance to scrap the system.

The organisation said the South African government ignored widespread dissatisfaction of large numbers of people and gone ahead with the implementation of e-tolls, regardless.

“They have chosen to ignore the wishes of the people – now they need to be reminded that we are the people who voted them into power and in less than nine months they will once again be asking us to vote them back into power,” it stated.

The organisation said the public had a chance to turn the situation around and remind government that it is answerable to the people – and not just at election time.

“If enough of us sign this petition, they (government) will find it very difficult to ignore us, especially in the light of the coming election,” it said.

It stated e-tolls will add yet another burden to already over-burdened people – along with escalating electricity, fuel, and food prices. “It is time we showed them that this cannot continue,” it read.

The petition will be delivered to President Jacob Zuma once it has reached 750 signatures.