The current upgrading of the taxi rank in Eltivillas in Makhado (Louis Trichardt) comes as a relief to many but has now given rise to a new problem.

Business owners of the Eltivillas shopping complex are upset as the taxi and bus operators now use the customer parking area in front of their businesses during the upgrading process.

“They are here from the morning and it is affecting business. We understand that the taxi rank has to be finished, but it would be good to find a middle way out,” said Mr Hitesh Dave from Dave Brothers.

“The taxis have no choice, but it could help if the municipality made a temporary arrangement for the taxis and buses to park across the street near the main road. That would be easier for the commuters,” said Mr Kalla senior from Star Café.

The once safe parking area in front of these shops has now turned into a busy site where large trucks, offloading goods at shops, and customers have to scramble for a parking space. While on the scene, the Zoutpansberger noticed a commuter having to jump out of the way of an oncoming taxi that was speeding through the parking area.

The R13 million street rehabilitation project in Eltivillas was launched by the municipality in March this year. The upgrading of the taxi rank forms part of the first phase. The appointed consultant is Mr Takalani Musandiwa of TM Africa Engineering Services. He said that they were also responsible for the road markings, construction of edge beams and the renovation of the municipal toilets. The completion date for the project is 19 September.

Municipal manager Mr Sakkie Muthinsyali  said this week that the issue of the taxis and buses that had moved into the business parking space was a difficult one and added that he would instruct his officials to attend to the matter.

Mr Peter Maingele, dispatch supervisor for Phadziri buses, said, however, that he had so far received no complaints from businesses. Maingele also operates from the customer parking area. “Our buses park here or across the street,” Maingele said. He interpreted for Mr Daniel Mahaga, dispatch supervisor of a Dzanani Taxi Association, who also said that nobody had complained to him yet.

“Our people are not happy with the situation but are scared to speak out, especially against the taxi associations,” said one shop owner, who did not want to be identified out of fear of victimisation. It would seem that, apart from the taxis and buses, all the informal businesses that operated out of the taxi rank had moved into the business parking area.