Parkmore residents demand Johannesburg Metropolitan Police Department action over dangerous driving on 11th Street
Taxis continue to dodge congestion by entering oncoming traffic along 11th Street, according to a community association manager who says police visibility brings only temporary relief.
Parkmore residents are demanding answers from the Johannesburg Metropolitan Police Department (JMPD) over dangerous taxi driving along 11th Street, with the department yet to respond to questions about repeated complaints and plans to improve traffic enforcement.
This comes as Parkmore Community Association manager Lori Klein warns that the behavior has become a regular occurrence, putting motorists and pedestrians at risk.
During a site visit with the Sandton Chronicle at the intersection of 11th Street and Victoria Avenue on September 30, Klein said the problem had persisted for years, despite previous complaints to the JMPD.
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“When they have arrived, it is solved on that particular day, but everything is back to normal again on the following day,” she said, describing what she believes is a pattern of temporary relief rather than sustained enforcement.
Klein said taxis regularly move into lanes carrying oncoming traffic, particularly during weekday congestion, to avoid queues along the busy route.
The danger was evident during the site visit, when Klein said a near-collision was narrowly avoided in wet conditions.
“Today, it is raining, but there’s no excuse. This is the driver behaviour of taxis every single day. While we’ve been standing here, there was almost a horrendous accident that was, thank God, avoided, but it could have been absolutely terrible,” she said. “This traffic actually starts on 11th Street, from around Lillian Avenue, all the way up to Grayston Drive, and this is every single weekday.”
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Klein said this traffic affects motorists traveling through Parkmore to reach Sandton’s central business district. She added that many motorists use Parkmore as a route from Bryanston, Fourways and Winnie Mandela Drive towards the Sandton CBD, placing additional pressure on the road.
Klein believes a consistent JMPD presence could discourage drivers from disregarding traffic rules and reduce the risk of serious accidents.
The Sandton Chronicle sent a media enquiry to JMPD spokesperson Xolani Fihla on September 30, requesting a comment by October 2 at 10:00.
The enquiry requested clarity on the department’s response to reports of taxis driving on the wrong side of the road to bypass congestion, and asked the JMPD what action had been taken following complaints from the Parkmore Community Association, the Community Policing Forum and individual residents.
It also sought information about previous patrols, enforcement measures, possible penalties and whether the area had been identified as a traffic hotspot. Further questions focused on whether the JMPD would consider targeted operations or regular patrols during peak weekday traffic to address the reported conduct.
Multiple follow-ups were sent to the JMPD, but no comment had been received at the time of print. Updates will be provided once they become available.
Facebook comments:
• Dino Minuzzo: The JMPD? Do they still actually exist? Do they have vehicles that work? To be fair, I can’t believe I’ve going to say this, but I see a lot of other non-taxi vehicles being equally unlaw abiding. Lets just call it what it really is, grossly unlawful South Africa. You get what you voted for.
• Nicole Megan Daniels: Its not just taxis. I see Havals, Land Rovers, big SUV type cars doing that too. You think your car’s so big you can drive how you’d like, especially here around Benmore and Parkmore.
• Brian C Smith: The taxis don’t have rules. We have same problem on Linden Street, Sandown. They don’t even stop at the robots, and push straight past on the turning lane only.
• Nicholas Cocciuti: The way taxis have zero respect for rule of law is a scourge. Ordinary road users and pedestrians lives are at risk because of their reckless driving, but you dare not protest because they threaten you with a gun. It’s a criminal organisation. To add, they don’t pay a dime in tax. Government has a lot to answer to. Perhaps OUTA should take it on.
• Richard de la Rey: Sadly JMPD are a complete waste of time. They are ineffective and unless. Getting paid to do nothing other than solicit bribes and harass drivers.
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