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ON November 9, 2017 the Express reported ‘Multimillion taxi rank looted bit by bit’, where Ward 15 Councillor, Mncedisi Mbengo, and a local taxi operator caught looters in action.
At the time, vendor Nosiviwe Yonto said the municipality had deployed a security guard to protect the structure during the night but said most of the defacement took place during the day.
One of the taxi owners from Hewu, who will be operating in the facility, said they weren’t sure how the different taxi associations would operate in one space.
“There is going to be a problem here. It was us, the taxi operators from Hewu, who were removed from our previous space of business so the rank could be constructed.
“But now that it is complete we are told that multiple associations are expected to operate in the same space with us. Whoever came up with that idea is setting us up for an unnecessary feud,” said the man who asked to remain anonymous.
In June this year, a scuffle ensued between Uncedo Taxi Association and drivers from Vaalbank, Thornhill and Whittlesea, after they invaded the rank, with the intention of operating from it. Police were called to contain the situation.
But at the time, spokesperson for Enoch Mgijima Local Municipality, Gcobani Msindwana, said municipal leadership had held an emergency meeting with taxi industry stakeholders to try to resolve the matter amicably and there were undertakings agreed upon as a matter of urgency for the handing over of the rank.
According to the markings on the loading zones, the facility is expected to house taxi operators commuting people to Cradock, Tarka-stad, Ntabethemba, Thornhill, Whittlesea, Dodrecht, Ezibeleni, Newvale, Mlungisi, Thundergate, Ntabethemba, McBride, Sada, Burgersdop, Molteno, Sterkstroom, Indwe, Tsembeyi, Zwartwater and Vaalbank.
But on Wednesday this week, not even a single mini bus was on site.
