Cape Town - 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 adjacent to Chapel Street.
Chairperson of District Six Civic Association Asa Salie said: “The taxis pose a risk to the residents’ safety. It feels like they are encroaching on us. These taxis are full of lawlessness and do as they please.”
Salie said they have had a number of meetings with the ward councillor “who told us they have done a site visit with the mayor and the mayco member for transport, but nothing has come of this.”
The problem started after the City of Cape Town did a R2million upgrade of the Cape Town station deck in January. During the upgrade, taxis were required to operate from the Grand Parade opposite the city hall, from where over 1000 taxis were operating.
But when the upgrade of the station deck was completed, it could only accommodate a third of the taxis. Now over 400 taxis have been operating close to Chapel Street.
“The problem we as residents have is the heavy traffic burden this places on us. Here is a massive rodent problem and the taxi operators are doing as they please Littering, and making food which attracts rodents,” she said.
Resident and activist Tanya Kleinhans said the City was complicit with the taxi operators’ lawlessness.
“They are violating by-laws and are supposed to uphold their convenient political laws. We're facing imposing homeless people stealing refuse bins, unhygienic conditions, high levels of traffic and noise,” she said.
Ward councillor Dave Bryant and Brandon Golding said they were aware of the community's frustrations, and are planning to build an alternative area for the taxis to operate from.
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
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