Taxi associations team up to rebuild bridges

COMMUNITIES in Kwazulu-natal were coming together to rebuild areas that were damaged by the recent floods.

One such community was the Piesang Waterloo Taxi Association, which operates between Inanda Newtown B and extension C, Nhlungwane and Ezimangweni, together with its affiliate, the umhlanga, Durban North, La Lucia Taxi Association.

Jointly, they have raised more than R100 000 to have two bridges in different areas – the link between them and their commuters – rebuilt.

They have also partnered to provide food parcels for the families who were left destitute.

In Inanda, three bridges were damaged during the heavy rainfall last month, forcing those who relied on public transport, including schoolchildren, to find alternative routes.

Nhlanhla Ndlovu, a member of the Piesang Taxi Association, said this proved to be inconvenient for residents and the taxi industry, so they decided to do something about it.

Ndlovu said they had contacted the ethekwini Municipality but got no joy. They then approached the councillor.

“No one expected the damage that was caused by the rain. We could not sit by and do nothing. We asked for consent from the local councillor, who later also availed himself in aiding the devastated community. We also went to the municipality to inquire about the repairs to the bridges, but we were told that it would take more than just a month to start repairing the bridges,” he said.

Ndlovu said the collapsed bridges were the most popular routes for the locals for public transport.

The associations have been focusing on two of the damaged bridges, and while the reconstruction was still under way, people could still use it.

“We decided that the project should continue without the government and city’s intervention. We then sat down as members of the association to see what we could do to rectify the situation, as schoolchildren and community members were trapped and unable to move between two sections.

“We agreed to hire tractors and excavators to repair the bridges. It cost over R100000 since each bridge repair cost R50 000 including paving,” he said.

Ndlovu said the project was meant to rebuild the damaged bridges, but through the help of the umhlanga, Durban North La Lucia Taxi Association, they were also able to provide food parcels to people whose houses were destroyed and were living in community halls.

Vusi Mngadi, the party representative councillor in that ward, confirmed that he had given the associations the go-ahead to rebuild the bridges due to the delayed response from the municipality. He said working together with the associations had brought an interim relief to commuters and families who were affected by the flood.

“The two affiliations understood that when it came to road repairs, there is a long process that both the municipality and the government have to take into consideration.

“As a community member and a ward councillor, we commend the work done by the taxi industry. In normal circumstances, they (the taxi association) are people who are known to be violent, but when gestures such as these come to light, it is really heartwarming,” said Mngadi.

The municipality did not respond by the time of going to print.