Development plans of old taxi rank area in advanced stage
“We have just completed the relocating of informal traders from Mushroom Farm in West Street, and will focus on this area next.”
WEB_PRE AND NEWSPAPER
Plans to develop the land next to the new state-of-the-art taxi rank in Centurion, where the old taxi rank still is, is at an advanced stage.
According to Alderman Peter Sutton, DA councillor of ward 78, the taxis and informal traders at the old taxi rank will be relocated.
“We have just completed the relocating of informal traders from Mushroom Farm in West Street and will focus on this area next.”
Resolving the issue of informal trade at the new taxi rank on the corner of South Street and Hendrik Verwoerd Drive, Centurion continued to be a high priority.
“We met with businessmen from the area yesterday and discussed issues in respect of safety and security they face.
“Issues were raised such as shoppers apparently thinking that the area was unsafe due to the location of the informal traders living at the old rank across the mall.”
Sutton said looking at crime statistics, he believed that the area is not subjected to more incidents of crime than businesses in other areas of Centurion.
“I think it is a perception more than anything else. When people see homeless people living in dire circumstances next to shops and malls, they simply expect the crime rate to be higher. It is a narrative.
“Nevertheless, the developer indicated he wishes to start breaking ground in about a year from now,” he said.
“Both the metro and the developer face a logistical nightmare, and that is that building must resume the same day the occupants move. Otherwise, the land will be occupied once again overnight, and the problem will only continue.”
Sutton said the developer must thus erect a wall between the BCX building and the rank, to get South Street neat, and safeguard the property once the occupants have been relocated.
Rekord reported earlier the land was approved for the development of a convention centre.
Sutton said the informal trading industry must be regulated so that every trader can benefit.
For this reason, the metro put a process in place in 2018 so that it could monitor how informal traders spread out in an area. Traders needed to apply for a permit and a licence.
The metro will enter into a lease agreement with the traders, and no sleeping or living at the taxi rank will be allowed.
With informal traders having to follow a proper process, they are also being educated about the requirements in terms of municipal by-laws.
In the process, the metro also offers assistance and makes suggestions in terms of how to make a living.
Traders must be prohibited from setting up a stall wherever they want and take note that there are restricted trading areas to maintain order and organise communities.
An informal settlement of about 100 people was living at the old taxi rank.
“The metro will intervene to assist them in finding alternative accommodation and has already started profiling them.”
Sutton said due to Covid-19’s impact on the tourist industry, the developer’s model changed; however, it is still the plan to build another underground taxi rank on the premises in future to address the demand.”
MMC of Tshwane’s Department of Development and City Planning, Bruce Lee said, “The metro confirmed it will endeavour to accommodate the informal traders at the new rank; however, it needs to check that there is no oversupply of traders in an area.”
Workshops were held in the past and will be held again for informal traders to comply with municipal by-laws.
sl / jo
