Ikhansela limi nabamatekisi embangweni werenki eMhlanga
Abamatekisi bathi sekukaningi beshaya indesheni kumasipala bezitshwa
Edolobheni iTheku indawo yaseMhlanga ibalwa nezinye eziheha izivakashi ngokuba nezindawo ezigudle ulwandle, inxanxathela yezitolo iGateway ebalwa nezinye ezinkulukazi eNingizimu Afrika kanye nemizi kanokusho. Lena yindawo engasuki olwimini kubantu abasuke bevakashele isifundazwe iKwaZulu-Natal, ikakhulukazi iTheku. Kuleli sonto uMhlanga uphenduke inkundla yempi nokubhekana ngeziqu zamehlo phakathi kwamaphoyisa, abamatekisi nabanikazi bamabhizinisi. Umsindo kuthiwa ususwe isinqumo sikaMasipala weTheku sokushaya indiva izikhalo zabamatekisi okuthiwa sekuphele isikhathi eside beshaya indesheni ngokwakhelwa irenki kuleli dolobha, kodwa izikhalo zawo ziphelele eboyeni okwezithukuthuku zenja. Njengoba amatekisi engenayo irenki kuleli dolobha, azithola epaka ezindaweni ezihlukene okwenza kuphazamiseke nabanye abashayeli. Sezibe ziningi izikhalo kubantu abahlala kuleli dolobha ngendlela yokuziphatha kwamabamatekisi abathi apaka yonke indawo, awashelwa emgwaqeni futhi awahlunzekelwe nangemigqomo yokulahla imfucuza nezindawo zokuzikhulula.
NgoLwesibili ukubekezela kwabamatekisi kufike ekugcineni ngesikhathi bevala eminye yemigwaqo ngezimoto kusukela ekuseni benengwa ngabakubize ngokubukelwa phansi uMkhandlu iTheku.
UMnu uSifiso Shangase oyiMeneja eMkhandlwini wamatekisi iSouth African National Taxi Council (Santaco) utshele abezindaba ukuthi okwenze bathatha lesi sinqumo ngukuthi babone umgwaqo abebewusebenzisa njengerenki usuvaliwe eduze kwenxanxatheka yezitolo entsha kuleli dolobha.
Uthe abebekwenza bekuyindlela yokuzwakalisa ukungeneliki kwabo befuna nokuthi kususwe imigoqo ebavimbelayo njengoba kusaqhubeka izingxoxo mayelana nerenki nendawo okumele kupake kuyo amatekisi.
Alinganiselwa kuma-50 amatekisi ahambela kule ndawo abekanise emgwaqeni kungahambi lutho ngezikhathi zamadina. Lokhu kuvalwa kwemigwaqo kushaye kwezwela nakulabo abasuka emahhotela akuleli dolobha belibangise esikhumulweni sezindiza iKing Shaka.
Abamatekisi bathi ukubekezela kwabo sekuhambe ibanga elide kungekho mnyakazo ekubeni nabo ukhona umnikelo abawenzayo kuleli dolobha. “Mfowethu yithina esilanda abantu emalokishini nasemakhayab sibalethe lapha ezitolo nasemafulethini abasebenza kuwo, kube yithi futhi esibabuyisela emakhaya, kodwa akekho okubonayo lokho,” kuzikhalela omunye wabashayeli.
Abashayeli bathi bakuqonda kahle ubumqoka bamadolobha eThekwini nemithetho kamasipala okusetshenzwa ngaphansi kwayo kepha kukho konke lokho akukho bona abahlangatshezwa ngakho. Bathi ngoMbasa kwabanjwa umhlangano phakathi kwabamatekisi nezikhulu zikaMasipala weTheku lapho kwakukhulunywa khopna ngokuthi kakhiwe irenki yesikhashana yamabhasi namatekisi eMhlanga kodwa izingxoxo zabuye zaphelela emoyeni.
Ikhansela laseMhlanga uNkk uNicole Bollman ekhuluma nabezindaba uthe kulokhu kudlalwe kakhulu ngabamatekisi kule ndawo. “Sekuyisikhathi eside ngiyisho lento kwabaphethe kuMasipala eThekwini ukuthi kumele ilungiswe indaba yerenki ngoba ngelinye ilanga buyochitheka bugayiwe, kepha kungabi khona zinyathelo ezithathwayo. Kuthiwa ngempela abamatekisi abenze njani, bheka ngoba kunamatekisi angaphezu kwekhulu asebenzela lapha eMhlanga kodwa umasipala ubanike izindawo zokupaka ezingama-42 kuphela,” kusho uNicole.
Uthe bayazwelana kakhulu nabamatekisi ngesimo ababhekene naso. Ukuphawula kwakhe kwesekwe nangabanye abagibeli abatshele elaboHlanga ukuthi kunzima kakhulu uma amatekisi engenayo indawo eqondile ngoba bona yiwona abathembele kuwo. Silobe lapha izolo zisaqhubeka izingxoxo phakathi kwabamatekisi, abamele abahlali uMhlanga Ratepayers and Residents Association (URRA) nabamele abamabhizinisi.
USihlalo wabahlali uMnu uTerry MacLarty uthi unxuse zonke izinhlaka ezithintekayo kulolu daba ukuba zimeleleke kuyona yonke imihlangano ukuze kugwenywe umsindo.
