Efforts to find a solution to the growing informal taxi operations around Fourways took a step forward on June 10, when Rise Mzansi mayoral candidate Lukhona Mnguni met with taxi operators and association leaders at the Fourways Mall taxi rank.

The meeting followed Mnguni’s recent visit to the informal rank along Winnie Mandela Drive, where he engaged with operators and commuters to better understand the challenges facing the taxi industry in the area.

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The growing informal taxi rank opposite Fourways Mall has been the subject of ongoing complaints from residents, businesses, and the Fourways Improvement District, who have raised concerns about traffic congestion, safety risks, and littering.

According to Alexandra Taxi Association spokesperson Mbuzeni Mhlongo, discussions focused on ways to reduce the number of taxis parked along surrounding roads and address the ongoing congestion concerns raised by residents and businesses.

“We also looked at the issue that many taxis have received tickets for parking along Winnie Mandela Road, which creates challenges when operators need to renew their licence discs.”

Despite ongoing discussions, Mhlongo believes finding a permanent solution will not be easy.

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“We hope for the best, but the way I see it, Fourways doesn’t have a place that can easily be formalised into a taxi rank. However, a taxi rank is a need in Fourways. We have a lot of taxis.”

Mnguni said the objective was to better understand the concerns of both residents and taxi operators, and to work towards a solution that benefits everyone.

“We were told that the core challenge is that there are not enough holding bays for the taxis operating out of Fourways. The demand for taxis is very high, and the existing parking facilities are not enough.”

He said the taxi industry plays a critical role in the daily lives of commuters and should be included in discussions about transport planning.

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“Most commuters use taxis to travel from home to work, to school, and to access opportunities. Taxi associations are not the enemy. They are collaborators and we have to understand their challenges.”

Mnguni added that the City of Johannesburg should focus not only on enforcement and issuing fines, but also on addressing the infrastructure challenges faced by operators.

He promised to continue engaging with taxi associations across Johannesburg as part of efforts to improve public transport.

Rise Mzansi mayoral candidate meets with Fourways taxi operators to hammer out solution.

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