A Highlands resident is frustrated about damage to his precast wall mainly caused nearby blocked stormwater drains.
Dr Sandy Goldbaum explained on February 15, “The problem is the floods due to blocked stormwater drains on the side of the pavements, which causes the water to flow down into the corner of the unofficial taxi rank and creates major damage to the walls of my backyard.”
He added that this is also worsened by litter from the informal taxi rank.
Goldbaum said the blocked drain near his backyard’s precast wall has been blocked for years, leading to all the debris piling up and breaking the wall due to the pressure caused by the floods.
Ward 74 councillor Belinda Echeozonjoku said she escalated the blocked drain issue to the Johannesburg Roads Agency (JRA) but had no power to solve the alleged illegal taxi rank matter.
“With regards to [the] illegal taxi rank on this site, the land belongs to the City of Joburg and Johannesburg Property Company (JPC) is the custodian of city-owned land. As far as I know, no one had been given permission to use the space, not even the taxis, they are parking there illegally. Unfortunately, I cannot tell JPC, the custodian of city-owned land, what to do on the land as it will be interference, which councillors are not allowed to do.”
JRA’s operations manager, Bertha Scheepers added the query was not scheduled timeously and that stormwater drains were inspected twice a year in preparation for the rainy season or more frequently in areas prone to flooding and stormwater blockages.
Scheepers assured the Gazette that the JRA has scheduled stormwater drain clearing within a fortnight (March 1).
When contacted for comment, JPC referred the Gazette to the City of Johannesburg’s Department of Transport. Director of the City of Johannesburg’s Transport Department Benny Makgoga said, “The Transport team has found out that the open area in Halford Avenue is a designated parking space managed by the Johannesburg Property Company. However, transport will be in contact with the taxi association of the mini-bus taxis that uses the open area for a solution to the problem of litter and waste.”
JMPD spokesperson, Xolani Fihla concluded that JMPD would investigate the reported illegal taxi rank and consult with the Transport Department to check if they are aware of a taxi holding bay in Highlands North.
“If the answer is yes or no the JMPD will refer the complainant to the Transportation Department as it is the correct department dealing with the allocation of taxis in the City of Johannesburg.”
