Cape Town - The City of Cape Town has identified a site in the Foreshore as an alternative remote holding area for minibus-taxi operators who have been displaced from the Station Deck facility.
The site is situated on the harbour side between DF Malan and Christiaan Barnard Streets and borders on FW de Klerk Boulevard.
Work is underway to convert this site under the freeway bridge into a temporary holding facility to accommodate approximately 270 minibus-taxis. The work includes the flattening of the parking surface, dropping of kerbs to provide access and exit points, the installation of guardrails along FW de Klerk Boulevard, and the installation of road signs and temporary water and sanitation services.
Felicity Purchase, the City’s Mayco Member for Transport, said: "If all goes as planned, the minibus-taxi operators will hold at this site as from 09:30 on Monday, 4 November 2019, once the morning peak hour period has ended.
"There will be regular cleaning services and 24-hour security at this site which will serve as a temporary holding facility until we have concluded the planning and preparations for medium- and longer term holding facilities. The City’s traffic signal unit and Traffic Services will assist in limiting any impact the new holding area may have on traffic flow in this area," she said.
"We have hosted two meetings with the displaced minibus-taxi operators who have indicated they are willing and keen to move to the Foreshore site. They have also attended a site visit with City officials earlier today, 16 October 2019, to familiarise themselves with the layout and to prepare for the relocation from District Six."
Residents of District Six are fuming after taxis that were supposed to park on the station deck have made themselves comfortable in the middle of the area. Video: Marvin Charles/Cape Argus
"The new temporary holding area is in relative close proximity to the Station Deck minibus-taxi facility with reasonable access to main routes, and importantly, it is not located in or close to residential areas.
"One of the unintended consequences of the recent refurbishment of the Station Deck rank is that the facility can no longer accommodate the same number of vehicles as before. As a result, about 250 minibus-taxi operators have been displaced and have moved onto vacant sites in mainly District Six where they park their vehicles while they are waiting for the next peak hour period," Purchase said.
"This is having a negative impact on the residents and businesses in District Six.
The City of Cape Town will undertake a clean-up operation at these sites once the minibus-taxis have vacated and moved to the new temporary holding area in the Foreshore. There will also be a law enforcement presence to ensure compliance.
The Transport Directorate is, in the meantime, reviewing the layout of the Station Deck minibus-facility for a longer term solution to accommodate more taxis during the off-peak periods.
Purchase said that the public will be kept informed of the City's progress.