VEREENIGING – The launch of the Vereeniging Intermodal Taxi Facility, led by the Gauteng MEC for Roads and Transport, Kedibone Diale-Tlabela, prompted everyone to reflect on the hardships faced by the community, business people, and the taxi industry over the past decade as they waited for the project to finally bear fruit. The event tookplace on May 14.

Speaking during the launch, Midday Mali, the chairperson of SANTACO in the Sedibeng Region, highlighted the negative impact the delay of the project caused, citing that the industry and businesses in Vereeniging had taken a major economic knock as a result. Mali thanked the community and operators for their patience while waiting for the completion of the project.

“We are very delighted to have a facility of this magnitude. We need to practice discipline and take care of this facility. This is an emotional day because we never believed that this project would be delivered while we are still in the industry.”

Mali, however, thanked the MEC and various stakeholders for the delivery of the state-of-the-art facility, 11 years later.

“We have an MEC that does not sleep, but is working very hard to ensure that our problems are solved. To the community that has suffered, today your suffering has ended as we now have a good structure to serve your transport needs.”

Mali said that patrollers were there to ensure that the rank is a place of safety for all commuters. He said that they are now working towards recovery and financial stability.

Sedibeng District Municipality Mayor Lerato Maloka thanked the MEC, committing that the municipality will safeguard the taxi rank and ensure it is well-maintained so it may serve future generations.

In her keynote delivery, Diale-Tlabela said she was disappointed that the facility had been opened long before the official launch.

“This place has already deteriorated, and I’m not happy as I have seen some things that were not there when I left the last time.

“We were not refurbishing the taxi rank; we built it from scratch. We are here to serve the community, and we are not in the business of taking from the very communities we are meant to serve.”

Diale -Tlabela urged stakeholders to take care of the facility so that it can serve its purpose to the community. She urged residents to play an oversight role in projects happening in the communities.

“You don’t just stand by when you see a project going south. Funds were wasted at the Sebokeng DLTC, where were you? You should get into the habit of asking project managers to account whenever you see that projects are going south. Don’t wait until funds are depleted; speak up early so that those responsible can be held to account.”

Diale-Tlabela said the project was a move towards reviving businesses and the taxi industry in Vereeniging. She urged everyone to safeguard the taxi rank and not let it get vandalised so that it can be sustainable and become an economic hub.