The high court in Pretoria will hear an application by the Opposition to Urban Tolling Alliance (Outa) on Tuesday for an urgent interdict preventing Sanral from launching the e-toll system on Gauteng highways.

“This [interdict] is … to give judges time to review arguments in the matter and then make a decision on whether to have the system outlawed or not,” Outa chairman Wayne Duvenhage said on Monday.

“The entire e-tolling process is very complex and expensive, and it’s going to be costly to manage.”

Civil society, trade federation Cosatu and the Democratic Alliance were pulling out all the stops this week in last minute attempts to have the system scrapped.

The DA planned to show its support for Outa by protesting outside the courthouse on Tuesday from 10am.

Spokesman Kelly Miller said DA members would be out in full force, and she called on the public and other organisations to join them.

Cosatu, which has a membership of 2m, plans countrywide mass protests.

A protest was planned at the Sanral offices on Wednesday, Cosatu spokesman Patrick Craven said.

“The marches will culminate next Monday and there will be big marches in all main city centres,” he said.

A court application has also been filed by lobby group AfriForum. — Sapa