In South Africa it is a common phenomenon that taxis stop abruptly anywhere in the middle of the road to drop or take in commuters.
Taxi commuter awaits for a taxi in a new road opened by Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality and Gauteng government. The taxi boasts a new design, which caters for the taxi to stop in a safe area.
This practice by taxi drivers endangers the lives of passengers, motorists and pedestrians, resulting in either deaths or accidents.
Blaming taxi drivers for such calamities, without having provided them with well-constructed roads with demarcated taxi stop areas, is not a solution.
This is according to Member of Mayoral Committee (MMC) responsible for Roads and Transport, Cllr Thumbu Mahlangu, when he opened the newly constructed Putfontein Road.
The construction of the road which is near the N12 highway amounted to R18 million. It boasts five demarcated taxi stop-areas that will enable taxis to pick and drop commuters safely.
The 2 450 km road further links to the N12 and is set to become a key economic factor, with trucks transporting goods already using it.
The construction of the road, including storm water concrete channels started in August and was completed in December.
“We are very pleased with the road because it has also created about 89 jobs and we appeal to residents of Chief Albert Luthuli to take good care of it.
“Residents have a democratic right to protest but not to burn tyres on the roads,” according to the MMC.
Echoing his sentiments, Gauteng MEC for Roads and Transport Dr Ismail Vadi, explains that a pothole begins with a small opening resulting from a tyre burn, then in rainy season it develops to a pothole.
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