Taxi associations in Grahamstown (Makhanda) still have to ratify an agreement brokered
this week. Competing taxi associations Border Alliance (BATA) and Uncedo have met twice
this month to resolve a disagreement over fee sharing.
The dispute over stand fees (the duty payable to the rank management once your taxi is full
and ready to leave) earlier this month saw Uncedo leave BATA’s long-distance car rank in
Link Street and establish their own loading area less than 500 metres up the road.
The dispute is about BATA’s Link Street rank. Both Uncedo and BATA were using it to load
long-distance taxis to Fort Beaufort, King William’s Town and Peddie. Loaded taxis pay a
stand fee of between R15 and R20 before they set off – effectively rental for the space
they’ve occupied to load passengers.
Because BATA operates the Link Street rank, their marshall collects this fee and it goes to
the association. Uncedo believes they’re entitled to a.
Chairperson Monde Sandi said at issue was that many of their drivers and owners were
paying stand fees to the BATA marshall – yet Uncedo was receiving no share of that. Sandi
said this had been resolved during talks.
“The stand fee payment for the Port Alfred, PE and Peddie taxis will be split half-half,” Sandi
said. “But for the Fort Beaufort line, each association will take its own fee.”
Sandi said as far as Uncedo was concerned negotiators had resolved the disagreement. It
only needed to be ratified by the respective organisations.
BATA chairperson Dole Kondile, though, was frustrated that the Uncedo long-distance taxis
continued to line up in Beaufort Street opposite the Total garage, less than half a kilometre
from their rank.
“There’s no change,” Kondile said this week. “They’re still in front of our rank.”
Uncedo’s home rank is in Dr Jacob Zuma Drive opposite Fikizolo Primary School. BATA’s rank
is in Link Street, opposite the Engen garage in Beaufort Street. Both use the main
municipality managed Queen Street rank, along with privately owned land behind Shoprite
and four allocated parking bays in front of Checkers in High Street. The ‘Avanza’ rank for vehicles travelling to Port Elizabeth is a section of Beaufort Street close to the Hill Street
corner.
http://www.grocotts.co.za/2018/08/14/taxi-associations-set-to-meet-over-rental/
