Metro says it has dedicated teams to clean taxi ranks

The Tshwane metro says it has dedicated teams to clean transport facilities, including the Centurion taxi rank.

Following complaints from residents that a squatter camp had formed next to the rank, Rekord reported that the area will soon be developed for mixed-use in a public-private partnership.

At the time finance MMC Peter Sutton said the proposed plan for the site would include additional space for the taxi rank as the number of taxis had unexpectedly grown.

Sutton acknowledged the complaints, saying “people are complaining, the mall is losing business”.

He said that part of the problem was the management of the facility “with a system that isn’t kept in check, made worse by the overflow of taxis”.

“In the facility, the taxis queue, so as the first one fills up, the next moves to the front.

“But the ones outside now bypass the system and get filled up as commuters exit the mall,” said Sutton.

He said that the city was working with the taxi industry to keep a system going, adding that there was more than enough space for the overflow taxis behind the facility.

The rank is an important transport hub owned by the metro that brings commuters to and from every part of Pretoria.

Metro spokesperson, Lindela Mashigo said that investment in public transport was a priority for the city.

He said the metro was already monitoring the industry’s needs by collecting data.

“As part of the current review of the city’s comprehensive integrated transport plan (CITP), data collection/surveys had to be conducted at all public transport facilities in all regions of Tshwane.”

The rank houses 14 taxi associations and about 600 taxis during peak times, which transport about 100 000 people daily, according to the Centurion taxi association, which manages the rank.

Deputy chairperson Hosia Mohohoma said that apart from the informal taxi waiting area on the land, taxis had to wait in a holding area behind the rank.

Mohohoma welcomed the city’s assistance.

He, however, said that the litter and squatters were beyond the authority of the taxi operators.

Mashigo confirmed that the dedicated section, public transport facilities management (PTFM), is responsible for the management and maintenance of public transport facilities.

Each rank must have a management committee, comprising representatives of all stakeholders – taxi associations and informal traders.

Mashigo said that cleaning the sites is the responsibility of dedicated officials within the PTFM.

Squatters on the land next to the rank would need to be evicted through a legal process.

“A legal process has to be followed to evict them,” said Mashigo. “The details will be determined by the duration of the legal process.”

A man left critical following an N1 accident near Garsfontein

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