Faizel Patel, 2016-05-26
Residents of Lenasia say they will be pursuing legal action against the City of Johannesburg for the proposed erection of a taxi learner exchange facility in the suburb.
The city of Johannesburg together with local government has initiated the pilot project to transport learners attending various schools in Lenasia.
There was a large turnout at the Nurul Islam Hall last night as concerned residents met to find resolution to the taxi learner exchange facility which they say if erected on the current site behind the Nurul Islam Centre will have an impact on the community.
Angry residents argue that while they support the scholar initiative, they are opposed to the current site where the facility will be built saying they were never consulted about the initiative and it will cause traffic congestion and affect road users.
The exchange facility which has been dubbed a ‘taxi rank’ is expected to be used as base to transport learners to various schools in Lenasia.
At least 12,000 learners from outside Lenasia attend schools in the suburb.
Lenasia Active Citizenry’s Yusuf Ahmed Bulbulia says the facility will have a serious impact on the area especially Abu Asvat Drive.
“When you look at Abu Asvat, if there is a vehicle that gets stuck there as well as accidents, we see there is a huge problem there.”
The organisations Asiya Majam says if residents are opposed to the construction of the facility at the current site, legal action may be the only possible resolution to seek relief.
“Residents need to realise that (legal action) is going to incur a cost at some stage and are we prepared as residents to go ahead and to that if that what it takes. Let’s be honest, at the end of the day this needs to go to court.”
At the same time Majam says objections raised the exchange facility is not about race.
“It is not because black kids using the facility. It’s because of where the facility is and what impact this facility is going to have on the residents of Lenasia.”
Lenasia Active Citizenry has also started a petition opposing the construction of the exchange facility
An interim committee has been elected to represent the community who will take the matter forward and liaise with attorneys appointed by Lenasia Active Citizenry to handle the case.
A large number of residents pledged monetary support for the proposed court action.
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