Soap water and sanitiser dished out to Peddie taxi operators

Taxi operators in Peddie have received desperately needed donations of soap, water and sanitiser in the face of the dreaded coronavirus — but they say they still need more.  

A local Boxer supermarket donated more than 100 bars of soap at the taxi rank in town, the Ngqushwa municipality supplied water tanks and water, and umbrella taxi body Santaco handed out sanitiser.

Peddie Taxi Association chair Vusumzi Qoma said the donations would make a difference in the fight against the virus for a while.

When the Daily Dispatch visited the small town on Thursday, it was abuzz with scores of people queuing to withdraw money or buy groceries. Some wore masks and gloves.

“This means a lot to us,” Qoma said of the donation. “We are complying with what the minister of transport [Fikile Mbalula] said. We had no water here before and this will help us a lot.”

Taxi driver Mkholisi Ntshokoma said: “We need more of these things to ensure that our passengers don’t get infected while in our taxis and in turn infect their families at home.

“We are happy to have received the donations but they are not enough.

“We are disadvantaged because of the numbers of people in the taxi industry but we are prepared to serve the public.”

Ntsika Mehlo, a resident of nearby Mgababa village, said they feared for their lives as the virus continued to spread because some villages did not have running water.

“We don’t have masks, we don’t have gloves, so we really appreciate the donations that were made at the rank,” she said.

“Our problem is that we are at risk here. It is said we must wash our hands many times a day, but we don’t have water.

“I agree that this virus came announced but we need the municipality to provide us with water. We fear this virus.”

Boxer branch manager Masibulele Matyeni said the store wanted to help fight the virus.

“The coronavirus is not an individual thing but it’s ours to fight,” he said.

“It’s our responsibility in the country to do whatever we can.

“We gave them 112 bars of soap so that they can wash their hands and be safe.

“We have given some to communities as well, and also some grocery hampers to those who are in need,” he said.

Amathole District municipality spokesperson Nonceba Madikizela-Vuso acknowledged that water provision was a challenge in most parts of the district.

“The reasons include lack of water sources [dams], ageing infrastructure, which results in an intermittent water supply, vandalism and illegal water connections, as well as the persistent drought.

“In addition to ADM water tankers stationed at Ngqushwa, the department of water & sanitation has assisted with 30 water tanks, which have been distributed in wards 2, 3, 4, 7 and 9,” she said.

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