Taxi drivers threaten to cause a total shutdown
Machibini Taxi Association chair Zanomzi Gqebenya said if the department of transport, safety and liaison did not repair the DR 08571, DR 08572, DR 085572 roads to Machibini, a total shutdown would follow.
Gqebenya said on Monday he had to wait from 7am to 9pm to get home as the Harrison River at Machibini was overflowing on to the road due to heavy rain.
“Quantums are built very low and the water enters the filter. We have been fighting with the present government to attend to the roads for more than six years.
“We are running our businesses at a loss due to constant repairs. We spend R15,000 in instalments a month and that is why there is such tension among taxi owners. Our repairs amount to R10,000 after six months.”
They started receiving responses from the district department of public works in 2014.
They said the road had been budgeted for in the 2017/2018 financial year, but nothing happened.
“The latest news was that the road would now be fixed in the 2021/2022 budget. I have been a taxi driver since 1992. Then the taxi fare was R2,50 from Machibini to Komani. It is now R21 and we are still facing the same problems. Our taxis were damaged beyond repair because of the bad state of the road in 2005. We had to resort to buying bakkies to transport the people, but government banned us from using them.”
“Three weeks ago, we went to transport, safety and liaison MEC Weziwe Tikana who completely ignored us.
“The Xonxa Dam contractor dug for pipes near the road, but left without repairing it. The stones have landed on the road. If Tikana does not give us attention we will write to President Cyril Ramaphosa.”