Why taxi operators are shunning R17m new rank

The taxi rank built for R17m by City of Ekurhuleni in Duduza has been left unused since its opening three months ago because local operators say they were not consulted about its construction plan.

At the same time, residents say they also do not see the need for the facility as they have other urgent developmental needs such as shopping and banking services.

However, the municipality has rubbished the claims, saying both the residents and the local taxi association were informed. Above that, Ekurhuleni says the rank had been on the city’s Integrated Development Plan (IDP) for Duduza for some time, due to the pressing transport needs of the community.

The city opened the Bluegum View taxi rank in April, but the millions spent on it seem to have been in vain as taxi operators continue to use an unofficial rank in the township's Section 15.

While the municipal spokesperson Zweli Dlamini said the city was surprised at the taxi drivers not using the rank, the SA National Taxi Council (Santaco) said the associations in the area were not consulted.

“No-one consulted us, despite it being common cause that we are consulted on such [projects] as stakeholders, often as [an] intermediary between the city and taxi associations,” said Santaco’s Ekurhuleni regional secretary, Zwelibanzi Mnisi.

“We were not engaged throughout the processes as the regional structure,” Mnisi added.

Dlamini said the rank was built in response to the need in the area, which was established through the IDP process.

“There is no way that the municipality would have built this thing without having consulted,” he said.

“We handed over that taxi rank to the taxi operators that are supposed to use it, and it’s fully functional. If there are people who have to explain why they are not using it, it has to be the taxi operators.

“When we handed it over, everyone was excited. We are as surprised as you are why the taxi rank is not being used because there were consultations right through from plenary phases to handover.”

However, the Duduza residents who spoke to Sowetan on condition of anonymity said they were not consulted about the building of the rank.

“We just woke up one day, and there was a construction happening, and later, a handover,” one resident said.

“To be honest, I don’t think a taxi rank is what Duduza needs. We need shops and banks,  like your Shoprite and Pep, where most people shop. We travel almost 10km to Nigel town for these services.”

Another resident said the taxi rank was not close to where people lived, and that was why the operators choose to use the old, informal rank.

“The taxi operators fear they might lose business if they go to the [new] rank as it means the commuters might be lost to Tsakane operators as [the new] Bluegum View rank is not central to where people are.

There is also infighting and a lack of good relations among the associations operating in the area

—  Resident 

“There is also infighting and a lack of good relations among the associations operating in the area,” the resident said.

Tsakane is a neighbouring township to Duduza and the two are separated only by a road.  

No-one from the Nigel Taxi Association, w was available to comment .

MMC for transport in Ekurhuleni Andile Mngwevu said when the taxi rank was officially opened, he handed it to the Nigel taxi association. According to Mngwevu everything was in order and the city had given the taxis three weeks to relocate from the intersection they are illegally operating from to the new structure.

However, not even Nigel taxi association is using the rank.

"They have never come to me with any issue of why they are no longer moving because the last time we discussed with them, we agreed that they are moving."

He said the association's U-turn regarding using the rank shows that they are dishonest.

"For us to come to a conclusion of opening a rank, handing it over, we've been contacting each other for a year. So it means we're engaging dishonest people. The association is dishonest itself. It took me a year to engage with them," he said.

While residents said they were not consulted about the rank, ward 87 councillor Simon Hlophe whose constituency includes Duduza, said that was not true.

He said the community was consulted on the establishment of the taxi rank but that its location has long been a sticking point for taxi operators.

“When the idea of a taxi rank was first raised, both the community and operators had proposed that it be built in Extension 15 this was even before the Sasol garage existed. However, due to budget constraints by the time the City had a budget available Sasol was built and next available land is where the taxi rank currently stands,” said Hlophe.

“The current site was previously used as a sports ground, which added to concerns. But more significantly, the association feared that abandoning Extension 15 would open the door for operators from Tsakane and Brakpan to encroach on the route, leading to possible illegal operations and conflict.”

He added that the Nigel Taxi Association now appears to be divided on whether or not to use the newly established rank.

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