Snarl: The temporary taxi rank, set up after the Oceans uMhlanga development went up on the former public transport node, is too small and has caused congestion in the area. (Lyse Comins/M&G)
The dispute over the location of a permanent taxi rank in uMhlanga rages on after the South African National Taxi Council (Santaco) rejected the latest assessment of the temporary facility near the Oceans Mall.
Santaco greater north region chairperson Sifiso Mthethwa said taxi operators had joined the eThekwini Municipality and Oceans Umhlanga Development representatives at a site visit last Friday but found that there was insufficient space in the temporary taxi rank on Ridge Road to accommodate all the operators servicing the area.
“We had the site visit to discuss the process of where they [the city] are and we showed them that the space is small. It cannot accommodate all the vehicles there. We need 120 parking bays for holding and we need plus minus 50 for loading,” Mthethwa said.
He said the site, which can hold 90 taxis, was therefore not suitable as a long-term solution. The municipality was in discussion with the developers and taxi operators were waiting for it to inform them of the next meeting, Mthethwa added.
eThekwini Municipality said in a statement the eThekwini Transport Authority, Santaco and the developer had met at the proposed site to ascertain whether it was appropriate to accommodate 120 holding bays and 90 ranking bays to cater for taxi operators in the precinct.
“The initial plan for the taxi facility proposed by the developer was to house about 90 holding bays which included nine bays for ranking. This proposal however was not supported by Santaco on the basis that there were inadequate holding and ranking bays to accommodate their current taxi operations,” the municipality said.
It said further steps would be taken, including a survey to determine the number of required parking bays for holding and ranking.
Oceans uMhlanga Development chief executive Brian Mpono said the temporary taxi rank — which was opened for use in mid-September 2022 — was being extended to include a total of 91 bays.
eThekwini Municipality said it expected to meet taxi operators and the developer next week to further discuss “practical solutions to this prevailing challenge”.
Cast Arena business owner, and developer of the neighbouring Beacon Rock, Rob Goulden, who filed a court application to attempt to halt the Oceans uMhlanga development in 2022, said last week that he and other local business owners had proposed an alternative taxi rank development solution for the existing site.
Goulden said he was hoping to settle out of court. The matter was adjourned indefinitely.
He and other local business owners claimed that trade had been negatively affected and that property values had declined by 30% over the past 18 months because of the heavy traffic congestion caused by taxis operating in the precinct.