City to clean up metered taxi rank
The eThekwini Municipality has promised to clean up Stephen Dlamini Road.
eTHEKWINI Municipality has responded to pleas by Save Our Berea's Cheryl Johnson to clean up a section of Stephen Dlamini Road.
Johnson has been fighting a losing battle to get something done about the metered taxi rank in the road. Last year, Berea Mail reported on the drivers and vagrants who were using the gutters between Silverton Road and Cawood Lane as convenient urinals. The problem still exists today.
“This area between Silverton and Cawood Lane is dedicated to providing parking for eight metered taxis and the provision of a bus stop. However, the stench is so bad, metered taxi drivers have abandoned this area and are now parking illegally further up the road either across the pedestrian crossing or in front of residents houses at 123, 125, 127 Stephen Dlamini Road. They now urinate against the tree in front of our houses, or on our front boundary walls,” she said.
The complaint was investigated on 4 August by the municipality and it was found that the water collecting in the gutter was from a daycare storm water drain that was directly behind the bus stop on Stephen Dlamini Road. It was found the reason for this water standing was as a result of damage caused by a large Natal Mahogany tree on the road verge. The tree roots have damaged the storm water channel, blocking the water from running into the manhole.
“It is recommended the Roads and Storm Water Department repair the channel to allow for the water to flow through. Sand was also left behind, after the re-surfacing of the road and this sand has also blocked the channel at the corner of Cawood Lane and Stephen Dlamini Road. There was a strong smell of urine in Cawood Lane and this will be washed using a high pressure cleaner by CSW. An investigation into the sorm water systems at the daycare will also need to be carried out by the relevant department as there are signs of urine in the waste water coming through the storm water pipe,” said a municipal representative.
He said the cab drivers all claimed to be using the ablution facility at the service station and shopping mall.
“There were no vagrants visible in the area during our investigation, but, evidence of their presence was available especially on Cawood Lane,” he said.
Johnson said she had also raised the issue of the bus stop which served workers and customers from Musgrave Centre and is also used extensively by DHS school boys. “It is unhygienic and in our view, dangerous for passengers and especially children to wait here,” said Johnson.
Johnson said Save Our Berea recommended Parks trim back the over-hanging branches of the Natal Mahogany trees at the bus stop.
She said eThekweni Transport Authority needed to come up with a plan to monitor the metered taxi drivers and if they refused to co-operate, to cancel this parking area which residents and Musgrave Centre management had been requesting for many years as there was adequate parking for metered taxis serving Musgrave Centre in Musgrave Road.
“Residents have had years of problems generated by metered taxi drivers, including a case of attempted murder, drug dealing and serial breaking of the by-laws. Not only are DHS schoolboys at risk but small children attending Tree Tops School are being dropped off and picked up a few meters from this area,” she said.
According to Johnson, following her complaints, she received a response from the deputy city manager's office that the issues in the area would be attended to.
