VEREENIGING. – Democratic Alliance (DA) members Kingsol Chabalala, Makashule Gana and Hendrik Schmidt, conducted an oversight visit to the unfinished Vereeniging Taxi Rank last Thursday.

Earlier this year, numerous taxi drivers blocked roads, preventing residents from going to work while they protested over the unfinished taxi rank. The project – which was started in January 2014 and was due to be completed in January 2015 – has been plagued by numerous setbacks, from labour and contractual disputes to redesigning plans due to ground constraints and sewage leaks.

“R54.8 million has been spent on the project but there is very little to show for the money spent if anything at all. Businesses have closed down and our people have been left without jobs. The situation is sad indeed. This is the impact of a corrupt government that doesn’t care and we want answers,” Gana said.

The members of the Sharpeville, Vereeniging, Vanderbijlpark Taxi Association (SVVTA) accompanied the DA members on their visit. They too expressed their frustration with the unfinished project.

“MEC Vadi is refusing to tell us how much PRASA has spent here and we are asking ourselves – why? All we want for our people is the completion of this project and nothing else,” Chabalala said.