Pretoria - Roads and Transport member of the mayoral committee, Dikeledi Selowa, said Tshwane was engaging with role-players to ensure all parties were satisfied with the new Centurion taxi rank.
Selowa said the metro wanted the public to use the facility.
“If not occupied because of unsolved issues, the metro will just be stuck with a white elephant, and deserted premises always pose a crime risk, which we wish to avoid,” Selowa said.
“As soon as the engagement process is complete and all parties are content, the City will officially open the rank. Communities around the area and other stakeholders will be notified once the launch date has been determined.”
The first stage of the state-of-the-art taxi rank located on the corner of South Street and Hendrik Verwoerd Drive is complete.
The R12 million 10 000m² facility will accommodate 55 taxis. Construction started in August last year.
The plan was to open the facility in February, but this was postponed because the entrance had to be adjusted. Shortly after that, the country went into lockdown.
The City has also had to deal with the taxi industry, which refused to use the facility, saying it was not satisfied with the design.
City of Tshwane spokesperson Lindela Mashigo, said even though it was not ready for operation, the metro was satisfied that a good job had been done with the Redefine Properties investment.
“The rank will be managed by a committee consisting of members of the metro, the Centurion Taxi Association and Centurion Mall, owned by Redefine.”
Mashigo said the work was planned in stages, and that the final touches and finishes, including shelters, would be completed in stage 2.
Selowa said stage 2 would start in the next financial year.
She said they were in discussions with regional chairpersons and the taxi association, and two more meetings were scheduled before the metro approached Redefine Properties to officially hand over the rank.
“Finishes such as refuse bins and line marking that must still be affixed, as well as issues such as illegal taxis from Ekurhuleni and Johannesburg that work in the area, were brought to our attention and still need to be addressed.”
The rank will have offices for local taxi associations, 22 informal kiosks for traders, as well as public toilets. More than 15 000 commuters are expected to use the facility daily.
Pretoria News