Neelam Rahim | neelam@radioislam.co.za

2-minute read
01 August 2023 | 18:04 CAT

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The SA National Taxi Council (Santaco) wants the City of Johannesburg to consider employing measures to ease traffic congestion in the CBD amid the closure of Lilian Ngoyi Street (previously Bree Street).

Santaco spokesperson Thabo Moila said that heavy traffic affects the operations of taxis near the Bree Street Taxi Rank. According to him, some 27 taxis damaged in the gas explosion that ripped through the Joburg CBD were already back on the road.

Moila told News24 they would propose converting two-way streets to single-lane use during peak traffic hours to allow smoother operations.

However, City spokesperson Nthatisi Modingoane told Radio Islam International, “Upon consideration of conversion of certain streets, the current challenge is most of the street signals are designed for one way and the entire signal needs to be replaced.”

According to Modingoane, The City has made some diversions which are improving traffic, including several officers being deployed at intersections to control traffic movement.

Meanwhile, no figures estimate the cost of fixing the street and other damage caused by the explosion.

One of the factors impacting the estimates is the underground service line which is currently showing in some areas structural defect and may need to be reconstructed altogether.

“There is a need to declare the explosion of a Local State of Disaster which would assist in the conduction of proper assessments. In terms of the damage, the current resources provided followed by inter-governmental relations where areas of government would look at possibilities of disaster management funding,” added Modingoane.

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