It’s been 33 months (nearly 3 years) since the new taxi rank project was started in the Krugersdorp CBD. The rank seemed like an excellent idea to the business owners and taxi operators in the area, one which promised to make picking up and dropping off customers and workers in the area a more enjoyable experience.
So far, for the community, the experience has been an unpleasant uphill battle for answers, to say the least.
Originally, the project was to be completed within 10 months. Even considering periods of heavy rainfall and lockdown restrictions halting construction projects, 23 months overdue is a cause for concern.
Be sure to read the previous articles on this subject here:
- Taxi rank construction concerns escalate
- Taxi Rank construction deadline missed again
- Eiffel Tower built in less time than Mogale’s taxi rank
The CBD construction site has been without workers for about two months. Photo: Jaco Human.
Ismail Kaka from Rank Supermarket spoke to the News on this point, indicating and referring back to problems with the construction process that he and other business owners in the area have had for over two years now.
Ismail claimed back in 2019 that since the taxi rank was moved to its temporary location, which is less central than its original position, the few blocks with mostly business tenants have lost about 40 percent of the daily foot traffic, leading to major revenue losses. Now, in 2021, Ismail believes that the lost business is closer to 60 percent.
According to Ismail, there have been no workers on the site since they closed for the December 2020 festive period.
The rank was closed in 2018. We and half of Krugersdorp depend on this rank. The taxis are dropping off people anywhere,” said Ismail.
The News approached the contractor tasked with constructing the taxi rank, Pit Dog Moreki with multiple questions about the project. Andries Tsolo from the construction company responded, saying that they’d been instructed by the project managers, Maragela Consulting Engineers, not to respond.
Maragela resident engineer, Tumi Madumo wrote in an email to Andries that, “Maragela Consulting Engineers have no right to respond to the media. This matter is for Mogale City to respond.”
The Mogale City Local Municipality (MCLM) subsequently responded to the 14 questions the News has sent to them. Vuyani Bekwa, MCLM Acting Executive Manager for Economic Services confirmed that, “The R105 million project commenced on 2 May 2018. Outstanding items on site are loading bays, stalls, [an] office, pavement, fencing and some other minor activities,” adding that the stalls will cost the most to complete.
On why the worksite has not been operational for about two months, Vuyani said, “The municipality is aware and has been engaging the consulting engineer on the matter,” and regarding the general slow progress, “This has been brought to the attention of the consulting engineer. The contractor has been told on several occasions to increase its construction team.”
Maragela and Moreki refused to comment on these statements. Regarding the budget, CBD ward councillor Lynette Zwankhuizen said, “As per information in my possession, the total budget is still intact.
There are discrepancies, however, and for this reason we as the Democratic Alliance have requested National Treasury to perform an urgent investigation into these discrepancies immediately, in an effort to bring stability back to the project that is nearing its final stage.”
There is a fixed budget for the project. The service provider is expected to carry the project to completion within budget. No lump sum was paid to the service provider. The municipality pays for work done,” Vuyani responded.
Be sure to read about the Krugersdorp Taxi Association’s concerns regarding this matter in next week’s newspaper.
