Progress and development rely on a steady mutual understanding.
Those pushing for greater order and those with the power to co-ordinate change held a meeting to discuss a long-standing problem. Johannesburg Metropolitan Police Department, Citizen Relationships and Urban Management (CRUM), Dorljota Taxi Association, and WRAP Residents Association sat around the table for a brainstorming session chaired by the Department of Transport.
Martin van der Westhuizen and his fellow WRAP directors have been raising the issue of taxi ranks along Hendrik Potgieter Road since several people were killed at an informal rank at the corner of Peter Road in January. Along with any safety concerns, Van der Westhuizen outlined issues over traffic obstruction, a lack of ablutions, no water supply, and no formal infrastructure such as shelters or trading points.
Lorraine Mapela from the Department of Transport stated that her teams and the infrastructure unit would need to visit the site to ascertain whether altering the layout would be a possibility. The WRAP representative believed this process had already begun but Ward 97 councillor Jacques Hoon commented on September 4 that ‘there are no formal plans to create a formal taxi rank’ at the site.
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Dorljota is one of several taxi associations operating on the main roads of Roodepoort and the organisation’s spokesperson, Itumeleng Chambata, stressed that everything was being done to ensure his drivers were operating efficiently. Chambata agreed with improved infrastructure but stressed that any development would need to be designed properly, citing Rank 5 as an example of a rank that is not user-friendly.
Competition between taxi associations is key to solving the matter. Taxi drivers jostle for conveniently located areas on the street placing profit before passenger and fellow motorist’s safety. This is evident at the shopping district near the Christiaan de Wet Road bridge over Hendrik Potgieter Road. The mall built there in the mid-2000s was done so with a taxi rank but Chambata says the mall wanted a fee which they were unhappy about.
“We want to comply but the customer will always want to pick up a taxi that is moving,” said Chambata.
CRUM representatives stated that these matters were long-term development goals that should be promoted through the Integrated Development Plan for the relevant wards and would take widespread stakeholder engagement. Any stumbling block to improved infrastructure would need to be overcome by all the taxi associations collectively, emphasised by Chambata who said ‘we can not solve these problems in the absence of others’.
Unfazed by any perceived obstacles, Van der Westhuizen was keen to push forward. He affirmed he would continue to engage with the malls and Mapela claimed that she would broaden the reach of this initial engagement to incorporate the input of the other taxi associations and role-players. For progress to be made, all parties must set a course for a common goal.
