Joburg traffic heavy as usual: JMPD

The traffic on Johannesburg's main roads was heavy on Tuesday morning, just like any other day, the Johannesburg metro police said.

 

"Coming in from the west; Hendrik Potgieter, Ontdekkers and Main Reef roads are heavy, which happens on a daily basis," spokeswoman Edna Mamonyane said.

 

Kliprivier, Booysens and Rosettenville roads were backed up for motorists coming from the south of Johannesburg, she said. 

 

"Normally in the north, [roads such as] William Nicol and Beyers Naude are very heavy."

 

Mamonyane did not have an immediate update on the flow of traffic on the highways.

 

Gauteng road users woke up to tolled highways this morning after the controversial project finally kicked in after midnight.

 

But this does not seem to be the end of the road for the anti-tolling lobbyists.

 

Tuesday will see at least two anti-tolling media briefings -- the Congress of SA Trade Unions in Gauteng, which has been protesting against the project to "irritate politicians", was

scheduled to address the media on Tuesday.

 

The opposition Democratic Alliance also promised to unveil the "next phase" of the political party's anti-tolls campaign on Tuesday.

 

The Freedom Front Plus on Monday lost a last-ditch effort to put a halt to the project, that could see frequent users spend up to R450 per month. 

 

Church leaders vowed on Monday that they would not pay toll fees, and called on others to do the same.

 

The Opposition to Urban Tolling Alliance (Outa) continued to urge motorists to refrain from buying e-tags.

 

"There is no law that requires road users to buy an e-tag or register with Sanral in order to use Gauteng's freeways," said Outa chairman Wayne Duvenage.

 

-Sapa