Businesses react to makeshift taxi rank
Business is affected in Horison Park and owners are upset.
Residents and entrepreneurs such as Kim de Souza have strong opinions about the makeshift taxi rank in Horison Park.
The record set out to understand how the rank has affected business in the area, and this is what concerned residents had to say:
• Kim de Souza, Kinalyn Roodepoort
“They have moved their ‘rank’ to a more convenient spot on Ontdekkers Road instead of where it belongs at Westgate Shopping Centre. They have been littering here, urinating against the walls and washing their vehicles. Who is responsible for their behaviour? Who is going to take the blame for the damage they’ve caused us and our landlords’ properties?”
• “John”, Boston City Campus Roodepoort
“It doesn’t really bother me; I’ve gotten used to it after all this time. The hooting gets a bit much but our students use headphones so mostly it is not a problem for us.”
• “Ella”, ADT Security
“They park right across our building, which affects our business. We’ve been communicating with the landlord who can’t do anything about it since it is not on his property. They come and go and sometimes fights break out between the drivers, which is scary to us.”
• Danté Mashile, Absa Head Office
“Absa hasn’t received any complaints about the situation from our clients. It’s a municipal issue and not within our jurisdiction. If the clients do start complaining we will consult with the municipality.”
• “Vincent”, The Bed Shop
“The taxi drivers are very pleasant but my clients do not want to enter my shop anymore, the taxis intimidate them. Some of them believe that riots are going on because of the crowding around the taxis. Smaller shops rely on street value, if we are not visible from the road we do not have business. The perception that most people have about taxis and their clientele is that they’re not safe, and nobody wants to be around that.”
* Certain residents’ identity is not revealed due to fear of victimisation.
