Ballito Taxi Rank commuters battle the elements in the 4th year without shelter

Four years after the opening of the Ballito taxi rank, commuters and vendors are still at the mercy of the elements.

The heavy rains last week once again highlighted the plight of the thousands of people who use the taxi rank daily.

With little to no shelter, a simple trip home can become a nightmare for commuters if the weather turns.

Equally, on a hot day commuters must queue in the baking sun.

“Passengers are obviously getting wet while they wait, but they are also having their groceries damaged and the vendors get no customers in bad weather,” said rank manager, Thulani Dube.

The first phase was built by KwaDukuza municipality (KDM) in July 2017, with a second phase promised for shelters, a fixed ablution block, vending stalls and offices.

Today, however, there is no money for the much needed facilities.

KDM spokesperson, Sipho Mkhize said the municipality was still searching for a way forward.

“The municipality appointed a consultant to carry out designs and do cost estimates for the construction of Ballito Rank Phase 2. The consultant has finalised the concept, detailed designs, and cost estimates. The challenge is with budget availability. The municipality is currently looking at finding means to fund this project,” said Mkhize.

More than 4 000 commuters use the rank daily, which was built to accommodate about 200 taxis through the day.

As development and the workforce continue to grow however, more and more taxis have routes from Ballito and many park outside the rank.

An upgrade to the size of the rank is also planned as part of a future phase, said Mkhize.

Vendors also have little in the way of protection. Josephine Dube has been a vendor in Ballito for 5 years, setting up shop at the rank when it opened in 2017.

She has a prime position at the entrance to the rank, but has to provide her own shelter.

“I have no choice but to buy gazebos. The one I am using now is the 23rd since moving here in 2017. The other ones got swept up in the wind or damaged, so I had to throw them away,” she said.

Other vendors have reclaimed shipping containers that they work from, but there is no front so they are equally affected.

“Shelter is the number 1 issue we have in this rank. Not even half of the people who use the rank can stay dry at a time otherwise we have no choice but to get wet or close for the day,” said vendor Langelihle Sibiya.

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