26 Oct 2022

Palapye  residents have decried a tendency by some taxi operators who refuse to drop passengers off at their door steps as per the operating permit.

They aired their grievances during a Kgotla meeting addressed by area MP, Mr Onneetse Ramogapi in Palapye Extension 10 on Tuesday.

A resident, Mr Barulaganye Seroka said instead some taxi operators would rather charge a special price of P33 instead of the normal P8 taxi fare within Palapye.

He also noted that the situation was worse for locations such as Extension 10 and 11 due to bad roads.

Mr Seroka therefore, appealed for better internal roads, adding with the arrival of the rainy season, residents were headed for a disaster.

He also suggested a waiver or temporary taxi permits for Extension 10 individuals who were willing to provide public transport services for their people.

On another matter, Palapye Extension 10 residents decried rampant house break-ins and theft, and snatch and grab incidents in the area.

They attributed those to bushy passages and unavailability of street lighting.

Vandalism of Water Utilities Corporation (WUC) infrastructure was also an issue of concern at the meeting, where it was said some rustlers did that to create a drinking point for cattle so that they became an easy prey at night.

Given the distance travelled by Extension 10 residents to access services, they also appealed for a mobile clinic to bring health services closer to the people.

In responding, the MP highlighted that infrastructural developments such as roads should always be given priority, adding any developments in any given area were a result of proper roads.

On the issue of none-complying taxi operators, Mr Ramogapi encouraged passengers to note the vehicle registration number and report to the Department of Road, Transport and Safety so that necessary action could be taken against such operators.

MP Ramogapi said the country was currently faced with a serious shortage of drugs, doctors and nurses across health facilities, not only Palapye.

For her part, Palapye WUC general manager, Ms Daphney Motsumi told residents that the corporation had already identified a place to mount a public stand pipe which would be operational before December. ENDs