4 Tel: (045) 839-4040 / editorial: mjekulal@therep.co.za / advertising: charodinev@therep.co.za 27 November 2020 THE R E P R ES E N TAT I V EBoost for taxi industryQusta’s new Queenstown filling station will offer fuel at lower prices to benefit all stakeholdersQueenstown Uncedo ServiceTaxi Association (Qusta)launched its R1,5m DieselPlus filling station for taxis only at theinter-modal rank on Wednesday.Plus Group CEO Enus Osman, whois based in Cape Town, said this wasthe first pilot project to be implementedand the second phase would be ashopping complex with 15 stores.“We are looking at establishingmore fuel stations at 63 branches in theEastern Cape,” Osman said.“We work on an incentive basis andalways negotiate for the best price. Ourdiesel is only R12 a litre, 80c cheaper.Taxis will save R60 on a full tank.”Petrol will be available from nextmonth.Osman said this was an opportunityfor local taxis to get a group discountfor fuel.“Over the years taxis have alwaysbeen excluded from a good price forfuel, although they have been doing alot of social work in carrying peoplefrom one area to another.”The CEO said the project beganabout three years ago when the grouppresented the concept to UncedoService Taxi Association, a project inwhich the two organisations wouldwork together for everyone to benefit.“The Plus Group aims to empowerthe community. The idea is to bring thepeople via taxis to the central area ofthe taxi hub. We will create businessADVANCING BUSINESS: Queenstown Uncedo Service Taxi Association with Group Plus members and taxi association stakeholders celebrate the openingof Diesel Plus, a new filling station for taxis at Komani’s intermodal taxi rank on Wednesday Picture: ABONGILE SOLUNDWANAopportunities for every person whocomes to us and says they would like tobe part of this organisation,” he said.National Uncedo Taxi ServiceAssociation president NtsikeleloGaehler said a meeting would becalled to encourage all drivers to fill upat the fuel station next week. He saidthe fuel station did not belong toindividuals, but to all taxi operators.Qusta chair Sandi Mgobo said: “It isthe first time the taxi industry hassomething this great to contributepositively to the business.“We believe the filling station willassist us to give better service to ourpassengers.“Today people from the communitywere able to get work. We haveemployed three petrol attendants andas time goes by we will employ morep e o p l e .”He urged taxi drivers to support thefilling station so those who hadreceived employment could keep theirjobs.“We have employed two peoplepermanently to clean the rank. Theyreceive R500 per week. We employeda security guard who receives R6,000 amonth. This is not from themunicipality but from Qusta’s treasury.“This reflects that the time has comefor our communities to benefit from thedevelopment activities of the intermodaltaxi rank.”TIP SITEFENCING:The fencingof theEzibelenilandfill siteby DTI isalmostcompleteand willp re v e n tvagrantsentering andburning toxicwastematerialsP i c t u re :ANDISABONANIR31m project to fenceEzibeleni landfill siteBusinesses battling dueto continuous burglariesNTSIKELELO QOYOContinued burglaries at theEzibeleni industrial area havebecome a source ofconsternation for businessmenwho say their operations arenow struggling because of thec r i m i n a l i t y.Sabspho Chemicals ownerSabelo Jayiya has been left in thedark after criminals stripped hispremises of electrical wiring.He has been a victim of therepeated break-ins for months,something that has been goingon since the lockdown began.Earlier this year The Repreported (“Factories hit bybreak-ins”, August 28) thatJayiya and other businessmensaid they feared organised crimehad taken hold in the township.A spate of burglaries hadoccurred in the area, withcriminals becoming brazenenough to remove roofing fromsome buildings.At the time, Jayiya said theproblem had moved fromburglaries to vandalism,something which made themfeel as if they were beingtargeted.“We are now in the dark.They stripped and stoleelectricity cables. What we donot understand is why theycompletely destroyed the powerb o x ,” said Jayiya.Another business owner,Xolani Nyokana, said he wasstarting from scratch because ofthe loss he had incurred.One of his properties hadbeen vandalised whileequipment, including anindustrial-size geyser, had beenstolen from another.“During the lockdown, Imade visits to the site. In broaddaylight, they were insidesquatting, meaning they hadturned the place into theirhome.“In the very first week oflockdown we had a burglary.“The doors were destroyedand working equipment stolen. Ihave only recovered 30% ofwhat we lost. Even what we gotback was so damaged wecannot use it again.“They were here againrecently, managing to enter fromthe roof of a building that is 6mhigh. To me that proves this isc o - o r d i n a t e d ,” said Nyokana.Police spokesperson CaptNamhla Mdleleni said noarrests have been made inconnection with the burglaries.ANDISA BONANIThe department of trade andindustry is in the process ofinstalling a clear-view fence atthe Ezibeleni landfill site toprevent vagrants from burninggaseous materials that pose ahealth risk and to control thewa s t e .The fencing of the tip site ispart of a bigger project of theKomani Industrial Park andincludes others like the supplyand installation of a fence in theindustrial park, the installationof a pedestrian gate and 17vehicle gates, the refurbishmentof Stephen and Royganna roads,the replacement of damagedkerbs and the generalrehabilitation of the storm watersystem.Enoch Mgijima LocalMunicipality (EMLM)spokesperson Lonwabo Kowasaid the institution was beingassisted with funds by DTI, andthe Development Bank of SouthAfrica (DBSA) played a role asthe developer.“The Chris Hani DistrictMunicipality is theimplementing agent of this bigproject, which amounts toR31m. The Ezibeleni landfill siteis fenced to ensure a safeenvironment for people andbusinesses in the area. This is aresponse to concerns ofpollution and hazardous fumesoriginating from the site.“The fence will assist inensuring that plastic bags,papers, and other waste materialare under control and do notcontribute to pollution,” he said.The Rep reported(“’Unlicenced’ health hazard”,June 28 2019) that waste pickerMzamomhle Pendu said fires atthe dump site were a frequentoccurrence as many pickerssmoked and vagrants lit up tokeep warm.“This site is prone to firesand at times can beuncontrollable. Sometimes wetry to extinguish the flames, butit can be very difficult on windydays. Fires here have becomethe norm that could costsomeone’s life.”Kowa said the 2.4m clearviewfence was a replacementfor the old vandalised fence thathad holes in them made byhomeless people who used thelandfill site to search forvaluable material.“This project is 95%complete and 11 small, mediumand micro-sized enterprises(SMMEs) have participated andbenefited from the project.“The original duration of theproject was eight months, butthat was extended due tolockdown-related delays. Workshould be done before the endof this year,” he said.LIGHTS OUT: Premises belonging businessman Sabelo Jayiya were recently burgled, with thecriminals stealing the wiring and destroying the power box. Jayiya and other businessmen at theEzibeleni industrial area have been victims of break-ins since lockdown Picture: SUPPLIED
THE REPRESENTATIVE 27 November 2020 Tel: (045) 839-4040 / editorial: mjekulal@therep.co.za / advertising: charodinev@therep.co.za 5