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Commuters have been relieving themselves behind food stalls at Port Elizabeth’s Crossroad Taxi Rank

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Photo of a building
The toilets at Crossroad Taxi Rank, Motherwell, are being refurbished after not operating for years. Photo: Joseph Chirume

The busy Crossroad Taxi Rank in Port Elizabeth has had no functioning public toilets for many years. Finally, the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality is doing something about it after local residents, commuters and the Uncedo Service Taxi Association complained and protested.

Taxi rank manager Lunga Jikani said, “We have been operating very dangerously because the law does not allow us to have a public taxi rank without toilets.”

He said the toilet block was built in 2010, but was never used. It was subsequently vandalised and stripped.

People have been relieving themselves behind the food stalls at the taxi rank.

A food vendor who prepares and sells tea and vetkoek nearby, said, “I can’t wait to witness the day the toilets will be opened to the public. It is not healthy to cook and sell food in an environment where people relieve themselves at the back of my shack.”

She said, “We will closely monitor the cleaning of the toilets and also deter criminals from vandalising the building again.” She would not give her name.

Spokesperson for the municipality Mthubanzi Mniki said, “Issues of ablution facilities are issues of priority as they have to do with dignity.”

Published originally on GroundUp by Joseph Chirume

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Alan Straton

Chief Cook, Bottle Washer and Broom Mechanic at MyPE
Passionate about Port Elizabeth and definitely NOT packing for Perth. Alan's ethos is epitomised in the words of Nelson Mandela; "I have fought against white domination and I have fought against black domination. I have cherished the idea of a democratic and free society. If need be, it is an ideal for which I am prepared to die." See more articles by Alan.