| Mthatha awaits its taxi rank - 2010/07/23 | |
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News Article: 5875 has been read 178 times. |
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| MTHATHA’S 3000 taxi drivers will have to wait even longer for their Jubilee Taxi Rank after monetary problems led to the R23 million project being put on hold. Construction was scheduled to be completed by July this year. King Sabata Dalindyebo Municipality mayor Siyakholwa Mlamli confirmed the project was brought to halt in May this year over monetary issues. “The problem was the escalation of costs, which have increased by R3 million,” said Mlamli. But contractor C&R Constructors reckons the costs are even higher. Construction was initially scheduled for 2005, but only kicked off late last year. “We unlocked the project last year, but the funding, which was R16 million in 2005, was never increased , except for the additional R7million for earthworks on the land, which was (previously) a dumpsite,” said Mlamli. To date, only 80 percent of the Jubilee Taxi Rank is complete. Hawkers’ stalls and public toilets still have to be built. F or now, the 3000 taxis operating in Mthatha will have to make do with side streets. Taxi operators in Mthatha yesterday said they were disappointed the project had stalled – again. Eastern Cape Taxi Council president Zanemvula Gaya said with so many taxis operating in Mthatha, space was a major problem. “We have seven sub-ranks in town. Of that number, only one is a proper rank, the rest are not legal,” he said. The hope of the taxi industry is that at least four proper ranks will be built to accommodate all the operators. Gaya said one of the sub-ranks, for Mthatha West taxis, was in front of the municipal fire department and inconvenienced fire engines and firefighters when they were called out for emergencies. “This is one of the reasons we urgently need a rank,” he said. Taxi operator Xolani Fentese said: “It is surprising that we still have to wait. “We hoped that we would be operating from the rank by now.” Another operator, Zamuxolo Ntintili, said it was not new for government to run out of funds before a project was complete. “The new rank will at least reduce the number of taxis operating from the side streets, as is currently the case,” he said. Nkululelo Maqolo, also an operator, said there were too many taxis in Mthatha and both the municipality and the provincial government were dragging their feet on addressing the issue of lack of rank space in Mthatha. Mlamli added that initially the project was to cost R16m , but because earthworks were expensive, an additional R7m had been received from the provincial Transport Department . C&R Constructors’ construction manager, Wesley Naidoo, whose company is responsible for the construction of the rank, said they were still owed money by the provincial Transport Department. “They owe us more than R3m for the completed work. The project, as it now stands, is more than 80 percent complete,” said Naidoo, adding that more would have to be paid before they could finish the job . “We stopped working on the site in February and the last payment was made in January. In fact, they were paying us in bits… .” He said they would return to the site after they had been paid in full the money they were owed by the department. Transport Department provincial spokesperson Ncedo Kumbaca said the department had “fulfilled its commitment”. “Initially the project was R16million, and R7million more was later requested and we came to the party and ended up paying a total of R23million,” said Kumbaca. He said the department was told “informally that there was another shortfall of around R4 million”. “But we have had no formal request, either by the KSD Municipality or the developer, for the department to intervene.” However, the mayor denied this, saying KSD had, even in the past two weeks, met with Transport Department officials over the shortfall. “We have met the department and made a formal request ,” said the mayor. By LULAMILE FENI |
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| Source: Daily Dispatch | Date: 2010/07/23 |
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