UPDATE: Taxi rank move on its way

After years of uncertainty, the Ballito taxi rank is expected to make a permanent move to the land where the Shell Greenfields Service Station once stood, next to the Virgin Active, within two months.

KwaDukuza municipality said on Tuesday that the land, which belonged to Shell South Africa and was earmarked for the development of the new Ballito taxi rank, had been expropriated and now belongs to the municipality.

KDM communications and knowledge officer Sphelelo Ngobese said the taxi rank, currently on Ballito Drive next to the Sangweni Tourism Centre, will move as soon as a temporary taxi rank has been built.

“The temporary facility will be built on the permanent site while we are finalising the detailed design of the taxi rank.

“The budget of R3 million from our reserve will be used to cover the opening of access roads, levelling of the site, building of the storm water system and also paying for engineer costs.

“It is envisaged that the project will take between six to eight weeks without factoring in any rain.”

The taxi rank was ‘temporarily’ moved by KwaDukuza municipality to Ballito Drive in 2014 following the decision to widen Ballito Drive to six lanes which incorporated the previous informal rank, also a much complained about eyesore next to the Lifestyle Centre.

Although the municipality is still finalising the registration of the land, Ngobese promised that red tape would not prevent KDM from starting construction.

“The municipal manager will be finalising the appointment of the contractor for the temporary facilities before end of the week. The appointed contractor is envisaged to conduct site establishment before the end of next week and thereafter start construction.”

Dolphin Coast Taxi association chairperson Richard David said they were happy with the location of the new taxi rank.

“I do not think we were being difficult when we said we would not move until we are given a permanent site. We do not need the entire rank completed in time for the move and so are happy to use the land while the municipality sorts out the construction.”

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