Taxis will continue to park at the informal rank alongside the prestigious Oceans Mall in Durban, following a deadlock in talks with stakeholders.
This is after approximately 40 taxis from different parts of the northern region blocked off the M4 Highway and Lighthouse Road in Umhlanga on Tuesday, which led to hours of congestion and frustration for motorists.
This blockade also prevented shoppers and customers from Oceans Mall and Radisson Blu from entering and exiting the precinct.
The protest stemmed from taxi operators being disgruntled about an inadequate holding space for taxis alongside Oceans Mall, and the temporary space they had been allowed to use recently being shut down by mall management, without any consultations.
On Wednesday, South African National Taxi Council (Santaco) met with the representatives from eThekwini Municipality and Oceans Umhlanga mixed-use development to find long-lasting solutions to address issues related to the lack of a designated public transport space for taxis near the Oceans Mall.
According to Santaco Greater North Region chairperson, Sifiso Mthethwa, the taxi association left the meeting when no conclusion could be reached.
“We decided to leave the municipality and the Oceans Mall representative so they could continue to discuss issues amongst themselves, as there seemed to be issues they couldn’t agree with that didn’t involve us.”
We will continue to use the space at the Oceans Mall until they find a permanent solution
Umhlanga councillor Nicole Bollman said it was the inability of the eThekwini Municipality to find common ground with taxi owners and other local businesses within the area that resulted in Monday’s disruption.
She said the ongoing challenges in Umhlanga Rocks, exacerbated by the resumption of the Oceans Development project, have raised concerns for residents and local businesses alike. “The DA has consistently advocated for improved public transport facilities within the Umhlanga Rocks precinct or an alternative arrangement outside of the precinct.
“Regrettably, city officials have chosen evasion over engagement, obscuring these issues with smoke and mirrors.”
Bollman said the taxi industry served as a lifeline to Umhlanga’s businesses, and their actions reflected the frustration and desperation felt by operators, business owners, and residents.
On Tuesday, the city said it was finalizing consultations of a new holding area for taxis and buses. The site has already been identified. Brian Mpono, CEO of Oceans Umhlanga Development, which has made a R4,5 billion investment in Lower Umhlanga, said, “The responsibility for public transport in Umhlanga lies with the Ethekwini municipality, not the private developers.”
However, Mpono said in order to have the taxi blockade stopped in the interest of greater Umhlanga businesses, Oceans Umhlanga has provided and negotiated, at its own initiative, a temporary solution which has been accepted by the representatives of the taxi association.
He said an interim taxi facility was now open, but it can only accommodate about 50 taxis. “Additionally, there are major road works in progress around the lower Umhlanga precinct for safety reasons, and barriers have been erected to prevent taxis from entering the area.”
The main problem is that there is currently no designated holding area for taxis in the entirety of Umhlanga Rocks, resulting in taxis using the lower Umhlanga area as a holding area.
“We hope that the municipality and the taxi association can reach an agreement for a permanent solution during their meeting today,” said Mpono.
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