An oversight visit leads to successful drug bust
“Another element of the oversight visit was to ensure that we conduct and monitor urban management operations, such as grass cutting, road marking, and streetlight repairs.”
Tshwane metro MMCs for shared services Kingsley Wakelin and community safety, Grandi Theunissen led a successful oversight visit to the informal taxi rank in Atterbury Road, outside the Menlyn Park shopping centre, on Tuesday.
The MMCs visited Region 6 amid concerns raised by the community with regard to the total disregard of the metro’s by-laws in the area.
Wakelin said one major issue raised by the Menlyn central improvement district (CID) and CPF was the fact that animals were being slaughtered on the pavement, and that there was drug dealing.
“During the visit, we also conducted a surprise drug bust at the Atterbury Road overpass by the Menlyn Spruit. The area is well known to the CID and CPF as a major drug-dealing hotspot, which threatens the sensitive ecology of the area,” Wakelin said.
He said it was vital for the municipality and other stakeholders to work together.
“Another element of the oversight visit was to ensure that we conduct and monitor urban management operations, such as grass cutting, road marking and streetlight repairs.”
OVERSIGHT VISIT HIGHLIGHTS BY-LAWS
According to Wakelin, there was an outstanding issue between Menlyn Park shopping centre and the Menlyn taxi association which sought to address the breaking of the by-laws by taxi operators.
“Last year the City of Tshwane facilitated a meeting between the management of Menlyn Park shopping centre and the Menlyn taxi association to come to an agreement for the taxis to use part of the mall for parking.
“This would solve the problem of taxis parking on the pavement outside the mall and the health issues associated with informal traders,” Wakelin added.
He said the agreement was supposed to be signed in January 2023, but added this had hit a stumbling block.
“There have been enough delays on this matter and I have requested the MMC for roads and transport to facilitate a meeting between the mall management and taxi association to break the deadlock and come to an agreement.
“Taxis play an important part in the local economy, however, we cannot suspend the enforcement of by-laws while we wait for the parties to reach an agreement.”
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