Margate Taxi Rank has turned into another crime hotspot on the South Coast, believed to be caused by the removal of paras (criminals) from Port Shepstone CBD.

Deputy secretary of the South African National Taxi Council (Santaco) in the Ugu region, Khangelani Caluza said after the clean up in Sheppie, the problem moved from one town to the next.

“We were approached by the business people of Margate to help them clean up Margate town. We asked them to put it in writing and call all relevant stakeholders to a meeting, to note everything down and to work with the police.”

Caluza said a number of complaints have been received that Margate is now the new home for paras.

Emoyeni Centre manager Mxolisi Jula said he is concerned about Margate Taxi Rank.
“When the clean up operation started in Port Shepstone we saw it as a good initiative but then they (paras) moved to Margate, now our taxi rank is packed with paras and people smoking whoonga.”

He said that’s when they decided to ask Santaco for help.

“The police raided the taxi rank but they’ve not removed the guys who smoke whoonga.”
Jula said they are also concerned about the elderly who collect their monthly pensions.
“The pensioners have become victims of crime in the past few weeks, as soon as they leave a shop or collection point with their money, they get robbed.”

Operation Santaco Ugu Clean up team started patrolling in Margate on Wednesday morning (yesterday).

Jula said they are expecting the taxi rank to be clean and drug-free soon.

“I hope we reach our goal and make our taxi rank a safe place.”

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