Centurion Taxi association needs help with squatters
“How can you keep it clean when there is a community there? We cannot keep them away because this is open space and we don’t have authority over that.”
The Centurion Taxi Association said they were aware of residents’ complaints about the high amounts of litter and a squatter camp which has formed next to the taxi rank.
They, however, said that it was not in their power to tackle these issues and that they also wanted the change.
Rekord reported two weeks ago that the land next to the taxi rank was set to be developed in a multi-billion rand mixed-use project in the coming years.
Centurion Taxi Association deputy chairperson Hosia Mohohoma said that the squatter camp posed a big challenge for the taxi rank.
“The squatter camp burns boxes and tyres – we don’t know how safe we are,” said Mohohoma.
“How can we have a facility costing millions next to a squatter camp?”
TAXI RANK HOUSES 14 DIFFERENT TAXI ASSOCIATION
Mohohoma said that the taxi association had heard residents’ complaints about the site and said that it also wants this area to be clean.
“But how can you keep it clean when there is a community there? We cannot keep them away because this is open space, and we don’t have authority over that.”
Squatters also use the toilets and water at the facility, something that the taxi rank foots the bill for.
“We cannot arrest them for coming to get the water. They use the water and toilets here, and the bill comes to us.”
Mohohoma and other board members told Rekord that some of the other issues were that the site was simply too small for the volume of taxis that need to use the site.
The taxi rank houses 14 different taxi associations; each has between 25 and 90 vehicles on-site at a time.
Before the new taxi rank was opened in 2021, the previous site of the rank had over 200 taxis, but now the Centurion Taxi Association has over 250 taxis alone.
400 VEHICLES AT THE SITE DURING PEAK TIMES
The board said that there are about 400 vehicles at the site during peak times, with each taxi being run individually under the 14 taxi associations.
“The municipality gave us this area.”
“They helped us build the rank and the facility, which is very good for us, and we are grateful to the municipality,” said Mohohoma.
However, the site, which was planned to accommodate 55 taxis in loading bays, is too small, causing taxis to overflow the rank itself.
“It is very busy in this rank. If you drive past, you can see how packed this facility is,” said Mohohoma.
He said that the rank would need about 600 parking bays to operate comfortably.
The Centurion Taxi Association hoped to work with other businesses in the area and with the Tshwane metro to find solutions together.
Rekord approached the City for comment and will publish the response when received.
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