Cars that are parked in the streets for long periods at a time, and taxis blocking the roads were two of the items that were discussed at the recently held Subcouncil 3 meeting.
The meeting was held on Thursday 25 August at the Council Chamber, Royal Ascot Municipal Building in Bridle Way, Milnerton.
Anthony Benadie, councillor for Ward 4, informed fellow ward councillors and proportional councillors during the meeting that he struggles with privately owned vehicles that park in the streets and on council sidewalks for days in his ward.
Benadie was raising the matter during the quarterly report for traffic services.
He said in Joe Slovo Park, Summer Greens and Phoenix they have a “big issue”.
“Several vehicles park for long periods illegally, or are just left on the municipal pavement and streets,” he said.
Taxis making roads inaccessable
Meisie Makuwa, councillor for Ward 104, said on her part that she struggles with something similar in Dunoon.
Here taxi’s just park in the middle of the road, Makuwa said.
She requested council that law enforcement have a look into the matter, and address it.
Makuwa explained that often emergency vehicles cannot access the area as a result of taxi’s blocking the road.
She said emergency services personnel have already requested that she talk to taxi operators.
Joy Solomon. councillor for Ward 113, said taxis in her ward are also “lawless”.
She wanted to know why it appears that more regular drivers are fined for road offences than taxi drivers.
“Taxis are more lawless. One of them nearly rammed me,” she explained.
Principal inspector Mervyn Knipe of the Milnerton Traffic Department responded to their concerns.
Dedicated units for offenders
Knipe said the traffic department has a dedicated taxi enforcement unit (TEU) who deals with these kinds of enforcements, in response to Makuwa and Solomon.
In his response to Benadie he said that they also have a unit responsible for abandoned vehicles.
“We will report it, and they will impound it,” he said.
Knipe told TygerBurger that the TEU focusses on drag racing as well.
He also explained that before a suspected abandoned car is impounded, that vehicle would have needed to be there for at least seven days.
“Unless the car poses a danger for people or is obstructing other vehicles,” he said.
The Subcouncil 3 meeting last week was the first meeting after the annual winter recess.
