November 1, 2007
By George Matlala
JOBURG's Public Transport Month campaigns closed with the official opening of a revamped public transport facility in Lenasia, where issues of transport infrastructure and customer service came under the spotlight.
Situated at Lenasia's central business district, the R12-million taxi rank forms part of the Lenasia CBD Regeneration, a campaign driven through the City's Integrated Development Plan (IDP).
Its opening coincided with Public Transport Month, during which the government encourages citizens to use public transport to cut congestion on the roads and emissions from car exhausts.
Rehana Moosajee, member of the mayoral committee for transport cuts the ribbon to officially open the Lenasia Taxi Rank
Dignitaries present included Rehana Moosajee, the member of the mayoral committee for transport; Bob Stanway, the City's executive director of transportation; and Eric Motshwane, the chairperson of the Greater Johannesburg Regional Taxi Council (GJRTC).
Moosajee called on local residents to take care of the facility and to use it for the purpose for which it was built. "It can't continue that public transport facilities continue to be centres of crime and grime," she said, urging people not to urinate and wash taxis everywhere in the rank.
The Johannesburg Development Agency – on behalf of the City's transport department – began the rank's revamp in April. Changes include new sewer lines, water connections, streets lights, canopies and a steel framework for bus stop shelters. "Let's take this facility as basic as it is in the best interest of the commuters," she said, adding that it would be further developed.
According to Baboo Maharaj, the chairperson of the Lenasia United Taxi Association, at least 500 taxis – from six taxi associations – are expected to operate at the rank. Calling on people, including hawkers, to keep the facility clean, Maharaj said, "This facility is here for the commuters."
Investment
Johannesburg wanted to deliver an integrated, efficient and safe public transport system that would put the needs of the commuter first. "Transport is the heartbeat of the economy; if it cannot work, the economy cannot work," Moosajee said.
The government was pouring millions of rands into public transport infrastructure, she said. Its Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system, which is part of the Rea Vaya strategy, would offer improved public transport for 2010 and beyond.
Lack of an efficient transport system had a negative effect on the quality of people's lives. "People spend more time in traffic and there is anger, rage and congestion on the roads," she said, adding that traffic congestion cost the country billions of rand in lost time.
Moosajee reiterated that they had to work together with stakeholders in the community, including the taxi industry and the business sector, to achieve the goals of an integrated, affordable and safe transport system. "As government alone, we can achieve very little."
Taxi operators had an important role to play in the City's transport initiatives, including Rea Vaya. "The City has outmost admiration for the taxi industry. We would hate to see the taxi industry being left behind."
Operators had transported people without government support in the past.
Motshwane said the taxi rank was not going to be a battlefield for taxi associations. "This is not a battlefield; let no bullet go out here," he noted, also calling on law enforcement agencies to put the rank under surveillance.
Taxi operators had to give customers a "good" service. "We must begin to attach value to the people we transport."
Speaking on behalf of Executive Mayor Amos Masondo, Lemmy Belot, the director of Region G, said the City wanted to make transport safe and accessible, and meet the needs of commuters.
According to Belot, the taxi rank project showed the government's commitment to investing in transport infrastructure. He echoed Moosajee's words that the government had to work with communities to achieve the goals of an efficient public transport system.
Following the formalities, Moosajee, Belot and representatives from various taxi associations cut the ribbon to officially open the rank.
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