Swelling informal taxi ranks and school transporters taking heat for parking indiscretions

Economic progress relies on access to nodes of mobility.

Moving current and future economic contributors is the beating heart of the industry. Whether to and from places of work or between homes and institutions of learning, transportation is a business in itself. Carefully managing the overheads that eat into profits means counting every kilometre driven or litres of fuel wasted. Preferring to kill time in a stationary fashion, transporters park at commuter pick-up points, much to the frustration of suburban residents.

Across the northern portion of Roodepoort, several verges and open pieces of land have evolved into small communities. As well as the drivers, informal traders and stragglers looking for opportunity occupy the sites throughout the day. Complaints from residents include littering, loitering, a lack of hygiene, and the disregard of by-laws by all who frequent the informal taxi ranks. Blame is also laid at the feet of authorities who are accused of turning a blind eye to infringements.

Hendrik Potgieter Road is an economic corridor of chaos

The main arterial that links everything between the N14 and beyond the boundaries of Roodepoort has several areas that draw the ire of motorists. The rank outside the shopping centres near the Christiaan de Wet Road bridge has for long been a thorn in the side. The mall on the upper slope was built with a designated area but was turned down by drivers who chose the more conveniently placed verge to operate from.

Two other sites are growing as places of employment continue to be added to the strip. The intersection of Doreen, Peter, and Hendrik Potgieter roads has minibuses on each corner and the verge near Johan Road has steadily mushroomed. The Johan Road site is currently more isolated due to the bridge rebuild project but the Doreen Road intersection was the scene of a horrific accident in January which killed five people after a truck carrying a waste skip lost control.

A necessary truce established by taxi associations

Competition between taxi associations is notoriously edgy with two associations, Faraday and Dorljota, operating on Hendrik Potgieter Road.

At the Doreen intersection, Dorljota taxis operate from the Doreen Road side below the petrol station and trailer hire with Faraday parked on the Peter Road side of the intersection. Residents are upset by public urination, increased litter, and alleged reckless driving as well as the verge being used as a sorting sire for waste pickers.

Dorljota Taxi Association spokesperson Itumeleng Chambata claimed his organisation has been trying to have a formal site established at the intersection after one driver was injured in the January accident.

“Government is failing us. In Region C we are pushed from pillar to post” said Chambata. He explained that they could not afford to go elsewhere as the intersection was a key point on their route and should they leave, their competitors would be free to take their customers.

Residents may believe that by-law infringements go unpunished but Chambata stresses his drivers are fined daily for their transgressions. Chambata has been in touch with the Johannesburg Metropolitan Police Department (JMPD) with the view to setting up a meeting to formalise the site. Chambata acknowledged the complaints of residents and said he would send Dorljota officials to the intersection to remind drivers and commuters to properly discard litter and use the toilets of nearby centres.

WRAP Residents Association has been adding pressure on entities to assist. In an email to the City of Johannesburg (CoJ) officials, WRAP directors stated, “[We] suggest that your department promptly arrange a meeting where all parties can come together to discuss the way forward constructively. The current situation in which residents, commuters, and taxi drivers are operating is undeniably inhumane. There is a glaring absence of infrastructure to address critical issues such as water, sewerage, parking, and by-laws.”

School transports an independent force near Landhuis Street

The vehicles parked in the field alongside Jim Fouche Road near Landhuis Street, which also serves as a drop-off and collection point for a nursery school, belong to school transporters. The men claim to act on their own entrepreneurial desire and claim not to have any connection or contract with the government. Driver Sizwe Skosana stated they distributed pamphlets outside the school and now ferry children from surrounding suburbs and some from as far away as Soweto.

Where there is a crowd, there is the opportunity to sell. Informal traders accompany the transporters as their customers need food, refreshments, and other goods. In the case of the field of Jim Fouche Road, a popular plant salesperson was a common sight. The couple had set up camp nearby too, something that became a nuisance to residents.

“Night times are most disruptive, due to our dog constantly barking at the wall,” said Bergkaree Street resident Tarryn Graham.

The tent was removed by JMPD but the couple has found refuge nearby.

“If the squatters were allowed to stay on our boundary wall this could potentially lead to more tents being erected which could cause a drop in our property value as well as affect our neighbour’s properties. Over and above the security risk, we have had an issue with rodents, against the back wall, assuming due to the food source coming from the other side of our wall,” added Graham.

JMPD outlines errant parking and informal trading by-laws

JMPD spokesperson Xolani Fihla clarified the by-laws regarding parking in open spaces.

“Within a public open space, no person may, except at times specified and on roads or pathways provided by the council, drive, draw, or propel any vehicle other than a bicycle. No person may park a vehicle in a public open space, except in a designated area or other area where parking is otherwise permitted by the council,” stated Fihla.

Regarding informal traders, Fihla relayed the CoJ by-laws, stating, among others, that no informal trader may trade at a place that is likely to obstruct vehicular traffic or within five metres of an intersection.

As for rough sleepers, Fihla said, “No person may, within a public open space make, light or otherwise start a fire except in a facility provided by the council for that purpose and no person may camp or reside in a public open space.”