Controversial Mangaung Taxi Rank Remain Unused 10 Years After Completion

When Mangaung Metropolitan Municipality unveiled its modern Bloemfontein taxi tank in late 2010, residents breathed a sigh of relief only to be disappointed three weeks later when taxi operators complained and boycotted the rank. Several structural problems at the rank, such as a narrow pathway and congestion at the exit and entrance, were identified as the main concerns of the operators.

However in 2019, things appeared to be on the mend when Mangaung Metropolitan Municipality entered into a 30-year lease agreement with the Greater Bloemfontein Taxi through its entity, Free State Taxi Association to begin remedial work on the structure and eventually run the rank. The long-term lease was described as a first in the country by members of the taxi industry and the municipality. Municipal Manager, Tankiso Mea, said that the facility answers the very urgent call for socio-economic transformation. However over three years after the media briefing in which this lease was announced, the building remains unoccupied and worse off there is no sign of any remedial work.

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When the STEP UP SA NEWS team visited the facility on the 18th May 2021 during the Mangaung Shutdown week, the team found two security officials and two cleaning ladies on duty. The windows and toilet door were broken, copper in the toilets had been stolen and the lifts were amongst a slew of things that were not working.

The team also found that should a taxi break down or at worst, catch a fire all taxis behind it will not be able to move swiftly due to the barricade.

Further investigation led to the discovery of three structural plans: an original plan and two revised plans. According to the original plan what has thus far being built is a fraction of the rank as buildings from Jansen’s Meat Market up until the Correctional Services office next to Motheo FET College should be part of the rank and it remains to be seen if and when the complete rank according to the original plan will be constructed.

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In 2018 Public Protector, adv  Busisiwe Mkhwebane found in favour of the municipality.

In her report, Public Protector Busisiwe Mkhwebane stated that there is no evidence of maladministration on the part of Mangaung Metropolitan regarding the construction of the Intermodal Transport Facility located in the city’s central business district.

The investigation into the facility dates back to 2012, when Mkhwebane’s predecessor, Thuli Madonsela, was at the helm. The complaint was lodged by a Mr MI Liphoko on 30 July 2012 in which he alleged that the municipality was allocated about R400 million for the facility by the National Department of Transport, of which only R40 million had been accounted for.

In her findings on the matter, the current Public Protector states that the Mangaung Metro not only provided evidence that the grant from the National Department of Transport and the expenditure were appropriated in a budget as per the Municipal Finance Management Act (MFMA), they further provided proof that the total amount spent was close to R400 million.

STEP UP SA NEWS reached out to Auditor General of South Africa and the spokesperson Africa Boso said “The AGSA found in its audit of the Mangaung Metropolitan Municipality in the 2015-16 financial year that a intermodal public transport facility was completed at a cost of R351 906 408 but was not used due to the conflict between the taxi industry and the municipality”

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10 years after municipality spent R351 million or R400 million no one has been held accountable from the construction company nor government official, no one cares.

STEP UP SA NEWS spoke to some operators who could not hide their frustration.

“We have problems, our rank is a mess. We have been complaining about ventilation and stampede,” Lebogang David Moye said.

Another operator, Zongezilwe Tyele, said: “In Bloemfontein we have serious issues, we were promised a lot of things including work. Our rank is very small and this happened under our Secretary General Ace Magashule while he was the premier we don’t know what he did because whatever they did is wrong. He even bought buses(Reavaya) and promised us work now we are stuck here. Most of us hoped we will be employed by government because the taxi industry is like a piece job, we don’t have any benefits. If your child is sick you cant even take your child to a decent health care facility. I have a degree and unemployment forced most of us to come to taxis because we are hungry. I have been driving a taxi for 14 years, Its bad. No work no pay. Not even provident fund”

Thembinkosi said “Without a rank we pose serious health  risk to our passengers because we cant even wash our hands and we cant keep on donating from the little money we get to buy sanitizers and covid-19 is on the rise. Men urinate publicly because there are no toilets in the makeshift rank and girls and mothers pass here daily it’s not nice”

STEP UP SA NEWS team did not get any response from Mangaung Metropolitan, Office of The Premier, both Provincial and National Roads and Transport and  Greater Bloemfontein Taxi Association despite emails and texts.

This is a developing story.