Johannesburg – The Congress of SA Trade Unions was asked to make an upfront payment of R200 000 for the planned protest against e-tolls and not R2 million, the Johannesburg metro police said on Friday.

“It was R200 000 not R2 million,” said spokesman Chief Superintendent Wayne Minnaar.

Minnaar said the charge was a monetary guarantee for protection against potential damage.

He said they did not always charge for protests.

“We charge only if we are of the view that there might be damage or injury during the protest.”

The decision to charge Cosatu was based on their previous protest against e-tolls.

Cosatu Gauteng secretary Dumisani Dakile told protesters on Friday that the JMPD had asked for an upfront payment of R2 million for the e-toll protest to go ahead.

“We have never paid money in order to exercise our constitutional right. We are not prepared to pay even half a cent… let them go to hell.”

According to Dakile metro police also told Cosatu it had a sworn statement stating there would be violence at the march.

“We have had many marches, peaceful marches. That is their plan to stop us.”

Cosatu’s application to embark on a drive-slow protest on the city’s highways was dismissed by the Johannesburg Magistrate’s Court on Thursday.

Cosatu approached the court after the JMPD refused it permission for the protest.

In December, the N3 highway was briefly closed when protesting motorists parked their cars and danced during a similar drive-slow motorcade.

Earlier this week, Dakile said the motorcade was planned for the M1 north, N1 south, N12, and M2 north highways in Johannesburg.

The march was called off. – Sapa