Mushrooming taxi ranks in the East London CBD have raised ire among ratepayers who complain drivers have become unruly and a nuisance.
Throughout the city, old sedans crisscross Oxford and Buffalo Street in search of passengers – but some of these small taxis, known as amaphela (cockroaches) park for long stretches in areas not demarcated as taxi ranks.
East London has only one taxi rank which accommodates both local and long-distance taxis off Oxford Street and Terminus Street.
Tanielle van Langeraad, who works in the CBD, told yesterday morning of her experience.
“There’s nothing wrong with public transport when it’s situated in its designated area but the problem here is that taxis are everywhere and on top of that they can be so inconsiderate, holding up traffic when they stop in the middle of the road while they offload or collect a patron, which is time consuming.”
Van Langeraad blamed BCM for not implementing stricter bylaws as other towns have done.
“You would never see cars stacked along the CBD pavements in towns like Cape Town,” she said.
KSD municipality has already made hundreds of thousands from towing illegally parked vehicles in the Mthatha CBD.
A Daily Dispatch reader vented frustration in the letters section yesterday, asking what BCM councillors were doing about the “chaos”.
“All adjacent streets are also becoming taxi ranks and it’s absolute chaos in the CBD. Traffic laws are being brazenly broken by taxis who act with impunity and cause mayhem in the CBD.”
The anonymous reader queried whether or not traffic and law enforcement officials were afraid of taxi operators.
BCM spokesman Sibusiso Cindi said there were designated stops for buses and taxis which allowed them to drop and collect patrons.
“The metro also has free parking bays for shopping motorists to utilise within the CBD, which taxis may utilise on availability. However, it is illegal for taxis to park in disabled and loading parking bays.”
Cindi said taxi drivers also infringed on the rights of residents with constant hooting, which was illegal and the main cause for noise pollution in the city centre.
“With the concerns raised by the Dispatch and residents, the metro will have to look into the grievances and see how we can come up with effective solutions,” he said.
BCM ratepayers’ association secretary Christo Theart said he had no confidence that anything would change.
Two of the biggest taxi associations in East London, Melta and Meta, called on BCM, police and traffic officials to help clear the city’s roads of amaphela taxis.
The two associations have distanced themselves from the chaos in the CBD, which they allege is caused by the small car taxis.
Melta spokesman Welile Blayi said: “These are cars that do not belong to any association. They are driven around by guys without driver’s licences and are running amok uncontrollably.”
Meta chairman Michael Mphunga said: “We do have amaphela that belong to our association who are following road and traffic rules.
“The guys that are a nuisance are those who do not belong to any association.” — mbalit@dispatch.co.za
CBD taxis spark complaints
Throughout the city, old sedans crisscross Oxford and Buffalo Street in search of passengers – but some of these small taxis, known as amaphela (cockroaches) park for long stretches in areas not demarcated as taxi ranks.
East London has only one taxi rank which accommodates both local and long-distance taxis off Oxford Street and Terminus Street.
Tanielle van Langeraad, who works in the CBD, told yesterday morning of her experience.
“There’s nothing wrong with public transport when it’s situated in its designated area but the problem here is that taxis are everywhere and on top of that they can be so inconsiderate, holding up traffic when they stop in the middle of the road while they offload or collect a patron, which is time consuming.”
Van Langeraad blamed BCM for not implementing stricter bylaws as other towns have done.
“You would never see cars stacked along the CBD pavements in towns like Cape Town,” she said.
KSD municipality has already made hundreds of thousands from towing illegally parked vehicles in the Mthatha CBD.
A Daily Dispatch reader vented frustration in the letters section yesterday, asking what BCM councillors were doing about the “chaos”.
“All adjacent streets are also becoming taxi ranks and it’s absolute chaos in the CBD. Traffic laws are being brazenly broken by taxis who act with impunity and cause mayhem in the CBD.”
The anonymous reader queried whether or not traffic and law enforcement officials were afraid of taxi operators.
BCM spokesman Sibusiso Cindi said there were designated stops for buses and taxis which allowed them to drop and collect patrons.
“The metro also has free parking bays for shopping motorists to utilise within the CBD, which taxis may utilise on availability. However, it is illegal for taxis to park in disabled and loading parking bays.”
Cindi said taxi drivers also infringed on the rights of residents with constant hooting, which was illegal and the main cause for noise pollution in the city centre.
“With the concerns raised by the Dispatch and residents, the metro will have to look into the grievances and see how we can come up with effective solutions,” he said.
BCM ratepayers’ association secretary Christo Theart said he had no confidence that anything would change.
Two of the biggest taxi associations in East London, Melta and Meta, called on BCM, police and traffic officials to help clear the city’s roads of amaphela taxis.
The two associations have distanced themselves from the chaos in the CBD, which they allege is caused by the small car taxis.
Melta spokesman Welile Blayi said: “These are cars that do not belong to any association. They are driven around by guys without driver’s licences and are running amok uncontrollably.”
Meta chairman Michael Mphunga said: “We do have amaphela that belong to our association who are following road and traffic rules.
“The guys that are a nuisance are those who do not belong to any association.” — mbalit@dispatch.co.za
Would you like to comment on this article?
Register (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.
Trending Now
Latest Videos