Protestors against e-tolls won’t throw in the towel

A small group of peaceful protestors were allegedly attacked by e-toll employees in Cresta early on Friday morning.

“We were taking a photo of ourselves holding up an anti-e-toll banner outside the SANRAL customer service station this morning,” Proudly E-tag Free and Bikers Against Tolls member Hans Somsen said on 4 July.

“Suddenly SANRAL employers stormed out of the building and started pushing shoving us, yelling, ‘You’re not allowed to do that.’ They even pushed the women (in the group) around. We didn’t respond violently and left.”

Justice Project South Africa (JPSA) chairman Howard Dembovsky said that his organisation, whilst not part of this faction, condemned the tactics used against the protestors.

“Should they have wished to disperse the protesters, all they had to do was call the police,” Dembovsky said.

“Everyone has the right, peacefully and unarmed, to assemble, to demonstrate, to picket and to present petitions. It’s in our constitution.”

Furthermore, he said that SANRAL customer service centres are not national key points and therefore it is not against any law for people to take photographs outside their offices.

“We had no intention of going inside,” Somsen said.

“We’re dedicated, not stupid.”

A SANRAL spokesperson said that the organisation was aware of the incident. “We can’t comment yet, we’re investigating the matter,” he said.

Two of the women who were manhandled by SANRAL employees have laid charges of assault against the people concerned at Honeydew police station.

Nevertheless, Somsen and his merry band of protestors were back on the street with their anti-e-toll banner and flags in the afternoon on the same day, revelling in the raucous hooting of passing cars.

They have been doing the same thing every day since, with no plans to stop in the near future.

“It’s kind of a rush,” Somsen admitted.