Hawkers a concern with new taxi rank

The Buffalo City Metro is expected to officially hand over a newly renovated multimillionrand Taxi City rank in King William’s Town soon, but taxi bosses have raised safety concerns over the quality of hawkers’ stalls at the facility.

The taxi rank formed part of the R81.4m King William’s Town public transport facilities project which entailed the construction of a guardhouse, car wash, hawkers area, public toilets and offices at Taxi City rank.

Giving a progress report on the broader R81.4m King William’s Town public transport facilities project, which started in 2016, city manager Andile Sihlahla told councillors at the last council meeting that the Taxi City rank project was nearing completion.

“The Taxi City rank is scheduled to be handed over to the operators and hawkers by end September,” he said.

On Sunday, Bikita Taxi Association member Bongani Seti confirmed the Taxi City project had been completed.

However, Uncedo Service Taxi Association King William’s Town treasurer Gibson Ngemntu said: “We were not aware that the municipality wanted to hand the facility over already. The last time we had met as taxi associations we were still stuck on the question of how will these facilities be used now that they are completed.

“They have indeed built new buildings at Taxi City, but we raised a few concerns with them about the hawkers’ stands as we feared that if there could be heavy rains, the hawkers would be badly affected as the rain can easily flood their stands. We are still waiting for them to fix those things.”

Public relations officer for the King taxi management, Lindela Feliti, said they had wanted the rank fully covered like Mdantsane’s Highway taxi rank.

“Our main concern was that when there are heavy rains commuters’ goods get soaked. The construction has been completed and we also found that we no longer have a boardroom now in the premises. BCM told us that if and when we want to hold meetings we will hold them in their offices.”

In his report, Sihlahla said BCM has prioritised the upgrading of public transport facilities in King William’s Town to provide for the needs of public transport in this community.

Sihlahla said as at June 30, R55.5m had been spent on the whole project.

BCM spokesperson Samkelo Ngwenya said there were still outstanding issues. “Project is estimated to be handed over by end of October as we are still awaiting fencing materials.”

He said the King William’s Town public transport facilities project will be completed in August 2019.