Kicking up a stink over blocked pipe
Taxi drivers and hawkers at one of the busiest taxi ranks in East London’s CBD near the old Boxer store are fed up with working in conditions so dirty that they are causing them to lose business because commuters can’t stand the filth.
They say that since September a blocked sewerage pipe has made the rank unpleasant and unhealthy to a point that some people have become nauseous.
“Taxi drivers are stuck with an unbearable situation. This is affecting our business and the people who take rides in our cars. Many people choose to hike instead of coming to the rank because they are afraid of the unhealthy environment we are in,” said Ncedo Taxi Association secretary Churchill Ncobo.
Taxi drivers said they had repeatedly contacted the BCM municipality about the sorry state of the rank.
A hawker whose stall is at the rank, Monica Adams, said the situation had adversely affected her. “I have been struggling ever since this has been happening as I am losing customers. We cannot even eat because all we smell and see is this dump.”
Another hawker, Awakhe Fanele, said: “It is very hard for me to run my business and my customers do not want to stay and eat here anymore.”
BCM spokesperson Bathandwa Diamond said there was no broken pipe in the area.
“It was just a normal blockage that was cleared by the jet cleaner this morning.
“What could have given the perception that it was a broken pipe was that every time our team would clear the blockage, it would block again.
“This was caused by a huge rock, as well as a lot of rags, that was extracted from the pipe. The matter has been attended to and following the removal of the rock, there will be no blockage in the area,” said Diamond.
The municipality cleared the blockage on Thursday.
However taxi driver Mcebisi Mveni said there was still more cleaning needed in the area.
“Even though the taxi rank was cleaned, a lot of work still needs to be done,” he said.
Following the removal of the rock, there will be no blockage in the area